CVE-2014-3514 in Ruby on Rails
Summary
by MITRE
activerecord/lib/active_record/relation/query_methods.rb in Active Record in Ruby on Rails 4.0.x before 4.0.9 and 4.1.x before 4.1.5 allows remote attackers to bypass the strong parameters protection mechanism via crafted input to an application that makes create_with calls.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-3514 represents a critical security flaw in the Ruby on Rails framework's Active Record component that specifically targets the strong parameters protection mechanism. This vulnerability affects versions 4.0.x before 4.0.9 and 4.1.x before 4.1.5, creating a significant risk for applications that rely on the create_with method for data insertion operations. The flaw allows remote attackers to bypass intended security controls through carefully crafted input that manipulates the parameter handling process within the query methods of Active Record.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from how Active Record processes the create_with method in conjunction with parameter sanitization. When applications utilize create_with calls to establish new records, the framework should enforce strong parameters protection to prevent unauthorized data modification. However, the vulnerability occurs because the query methods in activerecord/lib/active_record/relation/query_methods.rb fail to properly validate or sanitize input parameters before they are processed through the create_with mechanism. This creates an attack vector where malicious actors can inject parameters that circumvent the intended protection boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data manipulation, as it fundamentally undermines the security model that Rails provides for preventing mass assignment attacks. Applications that implement create_with functionality become susceptible to unauthorized data modification where attackers can inject additional parameters that should be restricted. This bypass allows malicious users to potentially modify fields that should remain protected, leading to potential data integrity violations, unauthorized privilege escalation, and possible system compromise. The vulnerability specifically targets the parameter handling within the Active Record query methods, making it particularly dangerous for applications that rely heavily on dynamic record creation.
The security implications align with CWE-915, which addresses improper control of a resource through pointer manipulation, and relates to the broader category of mass assignment vulnerabilities that have been extensively documented in the security community. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1213 (Data from Information Repositories) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as attackers can leverage this bypass to manipulate application data and potentially escalate privileges. Organizations using affected Rails versions face significant risk of unauthorized data modification, particularly in applications that handle sensitive information or implement user-access control mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching to the affected Rails versions, with the recommended approach being the upgrade to Rails 4.0.9 or 4.1.5 respectively. Security teams should also implement additional monitoring for unusual parameter patterns in create_with operations and consider implementing application-level parameter validation as a defensive measure. Organizations should conduct comprehensive code reviews to identify all instances where create_with is utilized and ensure proper parameter sanitization is enforced. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining current security patches and the potential consequences of relying on outdated framework versions in production environments.