CVE-2014-3483 in Ruby on Rails
Summary
by MITRE
SQL injection vulnerability in activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql/quoting.rb in the PostgreSQL adapter for Active Record in Ruby on Rails 4.x before 4.0.7 and 4.1.x before 4.1.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands by leveraging improper range quoting.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/23/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-3483 represents a critical SQL injection flaw within the PostgreSQL adapter component of Ruby on Rails framework versions 4.x prior to 4.0.7 and 4.1.x prior to 4.1.3. This issue resides in the activerecord/lib/active_record/connection_adapters/postgresql/quoting.rb file, which handles the process of quoting database values for PostgreSQL connections. The flaw specifically manifests when the system improperly handles range data types during SQL query construction, creating opportunities for malicious actors to inject arbitrary SQL commands into database operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization within the quoting mechanism for PostgreSQL range types. When Ruby on Rails processes database queries involving range data types, the system fails to properly escape or sanitize user-supplied values that are subsequently incorporated into SQL statements. This improper range quoting allows attackers to manipulate the database query structure by injecting malicious SQL fragments that bypass normal input validation checks. The vulnerability specifically affects applications using PostgreSQL as their database backend and leveraging Active Record's range functionality, making it particularly dangerous for web applications handling user input through range-based database operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary SQL commands on the target database system without requiring authentication or privileged access. The impact extends beyond simple data retrieval to include potential data modification, deletion, or unauthorized access to sensitive information stored within the database. Attackers can exploit this weakness to escalate privileges, extract confidential data, modify database contents, or even gain full control over the database server. The vulnerability affects a wide range of web applications built on Ruby on Rails framework, particularly those that utilize PostgreSQL databases and implement range-based data types in their database schema design.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-89, which identifies SQL injection as a fundamental weakness in software applications. This classification emphasizes the dangerous nature of improper input handling in database operations and the potential for attackers to manipulate database queries through malicious input. Additionally, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1071.005, which covers application layer protocol manipulation, specifically targeting database communication protocols. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of their Ruby on Rails applications to version 4.0.7 or 4.1.3 respectively, along with implementing proper input validation and parameterized queries as additional defensive measures. The remediation process should also include thorough code reviews to identify any potential custom implementations that might be vulnerable to similar range quoting issues, ensuring comprehensive protection against similar attack vectors in the future.