CVE-2008-7248 in Ruby on Rails
Summary
by MITRE
Ruby on Rails 2.1 before 2.1.3 and 2.2.x before 2.2.2 does not verify tokens for requests with certain content types, which allows remote attackers to bypass cross-site request forgery (CSRF) protection for requests to applications that rely on this protection, as demonstrated using text/plain.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/02/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-7248 represents a critical flaw in Ruby on Rails web applications that undermines the fundamental security mechanism designed to prevent cross-site request forgery attacks. This issue affects versions 2.1 before 2.1.3 and 2.2.x before 2.2.2, where the framework fails to validate authenticity tokens for specific HTTP content types, creating a significant bypass opportunity for remote attackers. The vulnerability specifically manifests when applications rely on Rails' built-in CSRF protection mechanisms, which are intended to ensure that requests originate from legitimate users rather than malicious third parties.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the incomplete implementation of CSRF token validation logic within the Rails framework. When processing requests with certain content types, particularly text/plain, the framework skips the verification of authenticity tokens that are normally required to validate the integrity of user requests. This flaw occurs at the request processing layer where the framework determines whether to enforce CSRF protection based on content type rather than implementing consistent token validation across all request types. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic case of inadequate input validation and security control implementation, where the security mechanism fails to properly evaluate all request parameters before granting access to protected resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it allows remote attackers to bypass CSRF protection mechanisms that are critical for maintaining application security. Attackers can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious requests that appear to originate from legitimate users but are actually submitted by unauthorized parties. This enables unauthorized actions such as account modifications, data deletion, or transaction processing within the targeted application. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates silently without alerting administrators to the compromise, and the attack can be executed through various vectors including social engineering, phishing campaigns, or by leveraging existing user sessions. The fact that the issue is demonstrated specifically with text/plain content type suggests that applications using this content type for API endpoints or form submissions are particularly vulnerable.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which describes Cross-Site Request Forgery, and demonstrates how inadequate implementation of security controls can lead to complete bypass of protection mechanisms. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to technique T1531 for "Modify Authentication Mechanisms" and T1071.004 for "Application Layer Protocol: DNS" where attackers might leverage the bypass to perform unauthorized operations. The flaw represents a failure in the principle of least privilege and proper access control implementation, as the system allows potentially malicious requests to proceed without proper verification. Organizations using affected Rails versions face significant risk of data compromise, unauthorized transactions, and potential account takeovers, especially in applications that handle sensitive user information or financial transactions.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves upgrading to Rails versions 2.1.3 or 2.2.2 and later, which contain the necessary patches to ensure consistent CSRF token validation across all content types. Additionally, application developers should implement additional security layers such as custom content type validation, enhanced request monitoring, and regular security audits. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious request patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability underscores the importance of thorough security testing during application development and the necessity of maintaining current security patches to protect against known vulnerabilities in widely used frameworks.