CVE-2024-0241 in encoded_id-rails
Summary
by MITRE • 01/04/2024
encoded_id-rails versions before 1.0.0.beta2 are affected by an uncontrolled resource consumption vulnerability. A remote and unauthenticated attacker might cause a denial of service condition by sending an HTTP request with an extremely long "id" parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-0241 affects the encoded_id-rails gem, a component commonly used in ruby on rails applications for encoding and decoding identifiers. This issue represents a classic resource exhaustion flaw that can be exploited to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability specifically impacts versions prior to 1.0.0.beta2, indicating it was likely introduced in a beta release cycle where security considerations may have been overlooked. The flaw resides in how the gem processes the "id" parameter within HTTP requests, creating a scenario where an attacker can manipulate input to consume excessive system resources.
The technical nature of this vulnerability falls under the category of uncontrolled resource consumption as defined by CWE-400, where an application fails to properly limit resource usage in response to malformed input. When an attacker sends an HTTP request containing an extremely long "id" parameter, the encoded_id-rails gem processes this input without adequate bounds checking or resource limiting mechanisms. This processing can cause the application to consume excessive memory or CPU resources, potentially leading to application crashes or system instability. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication and can be exploited remotely, making it an attractive target for automated attacks.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for applications that rely on encoded_id-rails for identifier management. The denial of service condition can affect any service that accepts encoded identifiers, potentially impacting user access to applications, database connectivity, or overall system performance. The attack vector is straightforward and can be automated, making it particularly dangerous in environments where applications are exposed to untrusted networks. Organizations using affected versions may experience service degradation or complete outages, especially during high traffic periods when the resource exhaustion becomes more pronounced.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate version upgrades to 1.0.0.beta2 or later releases where the vulnerability has been addressed. Additionally, implementing request rate limiting and input validation at the application level can provide defense in depth. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls can help detect and block malicious requests with unusually long parameters. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring and alerting for resource consumption patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service, and organizations should review their incident response procedures to ensure they can quickly identify and respond to such resource exhaustion attacks. The fix implemented in the newer versions likely includes proper input validation and resource limiting mechanisms to prevent the excessive consumption that previously occurred when processing malformed id parameters.