CVE-2012-1098 in Ruby on Rails
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in Ruby on Rails 3.0.x before 3.0.12, 3.1.x before 3.1.4, and 3.2.x before 3.2.2 allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via vectors involving a SafeBuffer object that is manipulated through certain methods.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2021
The CVE-2012-1098 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the Ruby on Rails web application framework that affected multiple version streams including 3.0.x before 3.0.12, 3.1.x before 3.1.4, and 3.2.x before 3.2.2. This vulnerability stems from improper handling of SafeBuffer objects during certain method manipulations, creating a pathway for remote attackers to inject malicious web scripts or HTML content into web applications built on this framework. The flaw specifically targets the framework's content security mechanisms and demonstrates a significant weakness in how Rails manages safe content buffers, potentially allowing attackers to bypass security controls designed to prevent XSS attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of SafeBuffer objects within Rails' rendering and content handling systems. When certain methods process these buffer objects, they fail to properly sanitize or escape content that should be considered safe, creating a scenario where attacker-controlled input can be injected into web pages without proper validation. This vulnerability operates at the core level of Rails' content management system, specifically affecting how the framework handles HTML escaping and content sanitization when processing user input through SafeBuffer mechanisms. The flaw essentially creates a false sense of security where content that should be treated as safe can still contain malicious payloads that execute in users' browsers.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-1098 extends beyond simple script injection, potentially enabling attackers to perform session hijacking, deface web applications, steal sensitive user data, or redirect users to malicious sites. Applications using affected Rails versions become vulnerable to persistent XSS attacks where malicious scripts can execute in the context of authenticated users, potentially leading to complete account compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive information. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of Rails applications, undermining the framework's ability to protect against client-side attacks and potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges within compromised applications. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can result in widespread impact across multiple applications running on affected Rails versions.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately upgrade to patched versions of Ruby on Rails, specifically versions 3.0.12, 3.1.4, and 3.2.2 respectively, to mitigate the risk of exploitation. Security teams should conduct comprehensive audits of all Rails applications to identify those running vulnerable versions and implement proper input validation and output escaping mechanisms as additional defensive measures. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws in software applications, and represents a classic example of how improper content handling can create security vulnerabilities in web frameworks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for script injection techniques and T1566 for social engineering through malicious web content, emphasizing the need for both defensive and monitoring capabilities to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.