RubyGems version 2.6.12 and earlier is vulnerable to a DNS hijacking vulnerability that allows a MITM attacker to force the RubyGems client
RubyGems version 2.6.12 and earlier is vulnerable to a DNS hijacking vulnerability that allows a MITM attacker to force the RubyGems client to download and install gems from a server that the attacker controls.
- Published
- Aug 31, 2017
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 4.7% · 92th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-350
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Report tools
Action score
33
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 32 / 40 · 8.1 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 4.7%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| rubygems | rubygems | cpe:2.3:a:rubygems:rubygems |
| debian | debian linux | cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux |
| canonical | ubuntu linux | cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux |
| redhat | enterprise linux desktop | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop |
| redhat | enterprise linux server | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server |
| redhat | enterprise linux server aus | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus |
| redhat | enterprise linux server eus | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_eus |
| redhat | enterprise linux server tus | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus |
| redhat | enterprise linux workstation | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- canonical ubuntu linux14.04
- canonical ubuntu linux16.04
- canonical ubuntu linux17.10
- debian debian linux8.0
- debian debian linux9.0
- redhat enterprise linux desktop7.0
- redhat enterprise linux server7.0
- redhat enterprise linux server aus7.4
- redhat enterprise linux server aus7.6
- redhat enterprise linux server eus7.4
- redhat enterprise linux server eus7.5
- redhat enterprise linux server eus7.6
- redhat enterprise linux server tus7.4
- redhat enterprise linux server tus7.6
- redhat enterprise linux workstation7.0
- rubygems rubygemsup to 2.6.12 inclusive
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (hackerone). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
HackerOne RubyGems
- Versions before 2.6.13affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine:v3.10 | ruby | before 2.4.2-r0 | 2.4.2-r0 |
| Alpine:v3.3 | ruby | before 2.2.8-r0 | 2.2.8-r0 |
| Alpine:v3.4 | ruby | before 2.3.5-r0 | 2.3.5-r0 |
| Debian:12 | rubygems | before 3.2.0~rc.1-1 | 3.2.0~rc.1-1 |
| Debian:8 | ruby2.1 | before 2.1.5-2+deb8u4 | 2.1.5-2+deb8u4 |
| Debian:9 | ruby2.3 | before 2.3.3-1+deb9u1 | 2.3.3-1+deb9u1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby | before 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 | 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-debuginfo | before 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 | 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-devel | before 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 | 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-doc | before 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 | 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-irb | before 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 | 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-libs | before 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 | 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-tcltk | before 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 | 0:2.0.0.648-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-bigdecimal | before 0:1.2.0-33.el7_4 | 0:1.2.0-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-io-console | before 0:0.4.2-33.el7_4 | 0:0.4.2-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-json | before 0:1.7.7-33.el7_4 | 0:1.7.7-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-minitest | before 0:4.3.2-33.el7_4 | 0:4.3.2-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-psych | before 0:2.0.0-33.el7_4 | 0:2.0.0-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-rake | before 0:0.9.6-33.el7_4 | 0:0.9.6-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-rdoc | before 0:4.0.0-33.el7_4 | 0:4.0.0-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygems | before 0:2.0.14.1-33.el7_4 | 0:2.0.14.1-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygems-devel | before 0:2.0.14.1-33.el7_4 | 0:2.0.14.1-33.el7_4 |
| Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | rh-ruby22-ruby | before 0:2.2.9-19.el6 | 0:2.2.9-19.el6 |
| Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | rh-ruby22-ruby-debuginfo | before 0:2.2.9-19.el6 | 0:2.2.9-19.el6 |
+96
Same product
rubygems: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2017-0903RubyGems versions between 2.0.0 and 2.6.13 are vulnerable to a possible remote code execution vulnerability.44Plan
- CVE-2017-0899RubyGems version 2.6.12 and earlier is vulnerable to maliciously crafted gem specifications that include terminal escape characters.42Plan
- CVE-2018-1000076RubyGems version Ruby 2.2 series: 2.2.9 and earlier, Ruby 2.3 series: 2.3.6 and earlier, Ruby 2.4 series: 2.4.3 and earlier, Ruby 2.5 series40Plan
- CVE-2017-0901RubyGems version 2.6.12 and earlier fails to validate specification names, allowing a maliciously crafted gem to potentially overwrite any f39Monitor
- CVE-2019-8324An issue was discovered in RubyGems 2.6 and later through 3.0.2.36Monitor
- CVE-2022-36073RubyGems allows creation of users with arbitrary unverified emails35Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| alpine:ruby | 2.4.2-r0 · Alpine:v3.10 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:ruby2.1 | 2.1.5-2+deb8u4 · Debian:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:ruby2.3 | 2.3.3-1+deb9u1 · Debian:9 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:rubygems | 3.2.0~rc.1-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-ruby | 0:2.4.2-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-ruby-debuginfo | 0:2.4.2-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-ruby-devel | 0:2.4.2-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-ruby-doc | 0:2.4.2-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-ruby-irb | 0:2.4.2-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-ruby-libs | 0:2.4.2-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-rubygem-bigdecimal | 0:1.3.0-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-rubygem-did_you_mean | 0:1.1.0-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-rubygem-io-console | 0:0.4.6-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-rubygem-json | 0:2.0.4-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-rubygem-minitest | 0:5.10.1-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby24-rubygem-net-telnet | 0:0.1.1-86.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| RubyGems:rubygems-update | 2.6.13 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:ruby2.1 | 2.1.9-19.3.2 · SUSE:HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:yast2-ruby-bindings | 3.1.53-9.8.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 7 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
- RubyGemsHackerOne · disclosure only (VDP) · rubygems/rubygems
- RubyGemsHackerOne · disclosure only (VDP)
The product’s vendor appears in a public program. Matched by name; verify the scope text in the program.
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- High
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-350 · Reliance on Reverse DNS Resolution for a Security-Critical ActionCVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- blog.rubygems.org/2017/08/27/2.6.13-released.html
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/100586
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1039249
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:3485
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:0378
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:0583
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:0585
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/07/msg00012.html
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/201710-01
- usn.ubuntu.com/3553-1/
- usn.ubuntu.com/3685-1/
- www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-3966
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.