CVE-2011-5330 in Distributed Ruby
Summary
by MITRE
Distributed Ruby (aka DRuby) 1.8 mishandles the sending of syscalls.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-5330 affects Distributed Ruby (DRuby) version 1.8 and represents a critical security flaw in the remote procedure call implementation. This issue stems from improper handling of system calls during the transmission process, creating a potential attack vector that could allow malicious actors to execute arbitrary commands on vulnerable systems. The flaw specifically manifests when DRuby processes remote method calls that involve system command execution, leading to unauthorized access and potential system compromise.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the way DRuby serializes and transmits system call requests across network boundaries. When a remote method invocation contains system command execution directives, the framework fails to properly sanitize or validate the input parameters before forwarding them to the target system. This improper handling creates a path where attacker-controlled input can be interpreted as legitimate system commands, bypassing normal security controls and access restrictions. The vulnerability operates at the protocol level within DRuby's communication framework, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without requiring authentication or specific user privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple command execution, as it enables attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including but not limited to privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and system reconnaissance. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to systems running vulnerable versions of DRuby, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects any application or service that relies on DRuby for distributed computing operations, particularly those handling untrusted input from remote sources. Organizations using DRuby in production environments face significant risk exposure, especially in scenarios where the framework processes data from external sources without proper validation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-5330 should focus on immediate patching of affected systems and implementation of network-level restrictions. Organizations must upgrade to patched versions of DRuby that properly handle system call serialization and validation. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to DRuby services, particularly limiting communication to trusted sources only. Input validation and sanitization measures should be strengthened throughout applications utilizing DRuby to prevent malicious command injection attempts. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect anomalous network traffic patterns associated with potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which addresses improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The remediation approach should include comprehensive security testing and validation of patched implementations to ensure complete elimination of the vulnerability.