CVE-2010-3928 in Ruby Version Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Ruby Version Manager (RVM) before 1.2.1 writes file contents to a terminal without sanitizing non-printable characters, which might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted file, related to an "escape sequence injection vulnerability." NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/08/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3928 affects Ruby Version Manager (RVM) versions prior to 1.2.1 and represents a critical escape sequence injection flaw that enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands through crafted file content. This vulnerability specifically manifests when RVM processes file contents and outputs them directly to terminal interfaces without proper sanitization of non-printable characters. The flaw exploits the fundamental trust between the terminal interface and the application's output handling mechanisms, creating a pathway for malicious input to be interpreted as terminal control sequences rather than plain text data. The vulnerability falls under the broader category of command injection attacks where attacker-controlled input is processed in contexts that allow execution of unintended commands through terminal escape sequences.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from RVM's failure to properly sanitize input when displaying file contents within terminal environments. When processing files that contain non-printable characters or escape sequences, the application does not adequately filter or escape these characters before outputting them to the terminal. This creates a scenario where an attacker can craft a file containing specially formatted escape sequences that, when displayed by RVM, are interpreted by the terminal as commands rather than data. The vulnerability specifically targets the terminal's interpretation of control characters and escape sequences, which can manipulate terminal state, cursor positioning, and in some cases execute shell commands directly. This behavior aligns with CWE-74, which describes improper neutralization of special elements in output that could be interpreted as commands by the target interpreter, and represents a classic case of command injection through terminal manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution to potentially compromise entire development environments and systems where RVM is used. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running RVM, which could include system-level commands, file manipulation, or even privilege escalation depending on the execution context. The remote nature of the attack means that an attacker can exploit this vulnerability without physical access to the system, simply by providing a malicious file that is subsequently processed by RVM. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in shared development environments, continuous integration systems, or any scenario where RVM processes untrusted file content. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it can be triggered through normal RVM operations such as displaying file contents, listing directory contents, or processing configuration files that may contain malicious escape sequences.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-3928 focus on implementing proper input sanitization and output escaping mechanisms within RVM's terminal handling components. The primary solution involves updating to RVM version 1.2.1 or later, which includes proper sanitization of non-printable characters before terminal output. Organizations should also implement strict input validation for any files processed by RVM, particularly in automated environments where untrusted content may be processed. Security measures should include regular patch management, monitoring for suspicious file processing activities, and implementing network segmentation to limit potential attack surfaces. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing terminal escape sequence filtering at the system level and establishing secure coding practices that prevent similar vulnerabilities in other applications. The remediation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter, where attackers use terminal manipulation to execute commands, and emphasizes the importance of output validation as a core security control. Organizations should also conduct security awareness training for developers who work with terminal interfaces to prevent similar vulnerabilities in custom applications that handle terminal output.