CVE-2013-0256 in Ruby
Summary
by MITRE
darkfish.js in RDoc 2.3.0 through 3.12 and 4.x before 4.0.0.preview2.1, as used in Ruby, does not properly generate documents, which allows remote attackers to conduct cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0256 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw within the RDoc documentation generation system that affects Ruby developers and users. This issue specifically targets the darkfish.js file, which serves as a JavaScript component for rendering documentation in the RDoc framework. The vulnerability exists in versions 2.3.0 through 3.12 and 4.x versions prior to 4.0.0.preview2.1, creating a significant security risk for applications that rely on RDoc for generating technical documentation.
The technical flaw stems from improper input validation and output encoding within the darkfish.js implementation. When RDoc processes documentation files, it generates HTML output that includes JavaScript components for enhanced navigation and display functionality. The darkfish.js file fails to properly sanitize user-provided input or URL parameters, allowing malicious actors to inject arbitrary JavaScript code through crafted URLs. This occurs because the system does not adequately escape special characters or validate the integrity of URL parameters before incorporating them into generated HTML documents.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple documentation generation, as it provides remote attackers with a vector to execute malicious scripts against users who view the affected documentation. Attackers can construct malicious URLs that, when processed by RDoc, will inject XSS payloads into the generated documentation pages. This creates a persistent threat where any user who accesses documentation generated by vulnerable RDoc versions becomes a potential victim of the attack. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in development environments where documentation is frequently generated and shared among team members, as it can lead to unauthorized code execution, session hijacking, or data theft.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in web applications. The flaw demonstrates poor input validation and output encoding practices that violate fundamental security principles for preventing XSS attacks. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving code injection and execution, specifically targeting the application layer where documentation generation occurs. The attack surface is particularly broad since RDoc is widely used across the Ruby ecosystem, making this vulnerability potentially exploitable in numerous applications and development environments.
Organizations and developers should immediately update their RDoc installations to versions that address this vulnerability, specifically upgrading to RDoc 4.0.0.preview2.1 or later. The recommended mitigation strategy involves implementing proper input validation and output encoding mechanisms within the documentation generation process. Additionally, administrators should consider implementing web application firewalls and content security policies to provide additional layers of protection against potential exploitation attempts. Regular security audits of development tools and frameworks should be conducted to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities that could compromise application security and user data integrity.