CVE-2026-54497 in ViewComponent
Summary
by MITRE • 07/17/2026
view_component is a framework for building reusable, testable, and encapsulated view components in Ruby on Rails. From 4.0.0 until 4.12.0, ViewComponent::Base instances retain render-scoped objects across calls to render_in; if the same component, collection, or spacer component instance is reused across requests, users, tenants, or threads, later renders can use stale helpers, controller, request, view_flow, format/variant details, and slot child context from an earlier render. This can cause authorization-aware components to render privileged UI for a lower-privileged user, generate links using a stale Host header, leak slot/helper state, and mix request context under concurrent rendering. This issue is fixed in version 4.12.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2026
ViewComponent is a Ruby on Rails framework designed to facilitate the creation of reusable, testable, and encapsulated view components that enhance application maintainability and code organization. The vulnerability resides in versions 4.0.0 through 4.12.0 where the ViewComponent::Base class fails to properly isolate render-scoped objects between separate rendering operations. This design flaw creates a persistent state contamination issue that manifests when the same component instance is reused across different requests, users, tenants, or threads during concurrent execution scenarios.
The technical implementation problem stems from improper object lifecycle management within the framework's rendering system. When render_in methods are invoked multiple times on identical component instances, the framework retains references to helper objects, controller contexts, request metadata, view_flow states, and format/variant information from previous render operations. This cross-contamination of state occurs because the framework does not properly reset or clear these contextual elements between separate rendering calls, leading to what cybersecurity professionals would classify as a state leakage vulnerability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption to potentially severe security implications. Components that rely on authorization checks may inadvertently render privileged user interfaces for lower-privileged accounts due to stale authorization contexts being carried forward from previous renders. Additionally, URL generation within components can produce links based on outdated Host header information, creating potential routing or redirection vulnerabilities. The leakage of slot and helper states can result in data exposure, while concurrent rendering scenarios may cause request context mixing that compromises application integrity and user privacy. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-691 - Insufficient Control Flow Management and represents a classic example of insecure direct object reference patterns in web frameworks.
From an adversarial perspective, this issue maps directly to several ATT&CK techniques including T1068 - Exploitation for Privilege Escalation and T1566 - Phishing with Social Engineering. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by crafting requests that manipulate component reuse patterns to access unauthorized functionality or extract sensitive information from other users' contexts. The thread safety implications make this particularly dangerous in multi-tenant applications where isolation between different user sessions is critical. Organizations using affected versions should immediately implement mitigation strategies including component instance isolation, proper lifecycle management, and thorough testing of concurrent rendering scenarios.
The fix implemented in version 4.12.0 addresses the root cause by ensuring that render-scoped objects are properly reset or cleared between separate render_in calls. This remediation aligns with security best practices for state management in web applications and follows the principle of least privilege by preventing unauthorized access to stale contextual information. The solution demonstrates proper object lifecycle management techniques that prevent the persistence of sensitive data across unrelated rendering operations, thereby maintaining proper application isolation and user context integrity throughout the component rendering process.