CVE-2014-10077 in i18n Gem
Summary
by MITRE
Hash#slice in lib/i18n/core_ext/hash.rb in the i18n gem before 0.8.0 for Ruby allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a call in a situation where :some_key is present in keep_keys but not present in the hash.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-10077 resides within the i18n gem version 0.8.0 and earlier for Ruby, specifically affecting the Hash#slice method implementation in lib/i18n/core_ext/hash.rb. This flaw represents a classic denial of service vulnerability that can be exploited by remote attackers to crash applications relying on the i18n gem for internationalization purposes. The issue manifests when the slice method is invoked with keep_keys containing keys that do not exist in the target hash, creating a scenario where the application fails to handle missing keys gracefully.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate error handling within the Hash#slice method implementation. When developers use the slice method to extract specific keys from a hash, the method should gracefully handle cases where requested keys are not present in the source hash. However, in vulnerable versions of the i18n gem, the implementation fails to properly check for key existence before attempting to process them, leading to unhandled exceptions that cause application crashes. This behavior aligns with CWE-457, which describes the use of uninitialized variables, as the method attempts to access hash keys that may not exist, resulting in undefined behavior that ultimately leads to application termination.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it can be leveraged by attackers to systematically crash applications that utilize the i18n gem. Attackers can craft malicious requests containing specific key combinations in keep_keys that are known to be absent from the target hash, thereby triggering the denial of service condition. This vulnerability particularly affects web applications that process user input through internationalization frameworks, where user-provided data might be used as key specifications for hash slicing operations. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely without authentication, making it an attractive target for denial of service attacks that can impact availability of critical services.
Organizations utilizing the affected i18n gem versions should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to version 0.8.0 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Additionally, defensive programming practices should be implemented to validate input parameters before invoking hash slicing operations, particularly when dealing with user-supplied data. The remediation process should include thorough testing of applications to ensure that the upgrade does not introduce regressions in internationalization functionality. Security teams should also consider implementing monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability, as the crash behavior may generate distinctive patterns in application logs that can serve as early warning indicators. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper error handling in widely-used libraries and the potential for seemingly minor implementation flaws to create significant security risks in production environments. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a denial of service attack vector, specifically under the technique of "Resource Exhaustion" where application stability is compromised through controlled input manipulation.