An issue was discovered in the OpenSSL library in Ruby before 2.3.8, 2.4.x before 2.4.5, 2.5.x before 2.5.2, and 2.6.x before 2.6.0-preview3
An issue was discovered in the OpenSSL library in Ruby before 2.3.8, 2.4.x before 2.4.5, 2.5.x before 2.5.2, and 2.6.x before 2.6.0-preview3. When two OpenSSL::X509::Name objects are compared using ==, depending on the ordering, non-equal objects may return true. When the first argument is one character longer than the second, or the second argument contains a character that is one less than a character in the same position of the first argument, the result of == will be true. This could be leveraged to create an illegitimate certificate that may be accepted as legitimate and then used in signing or encryption operations.
- Published
- Nov 16, 2018
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 10.7% · 96th percentile
- CWE
- —
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Report tools
Action score
42
Plan
Add it to your regular patch cycle.
- CVSS
- 39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 3 / 30 · 10.7%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| ruby-lang | openssl | cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:openssl |
| ruby-lang | ruby | cpe:2.3:a:ruby-lang:ruby |
| canonical | ubuntu linux | cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux |
| debian | debian linux | cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux |
| redhat | enterprise linux | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux |
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 linux18.04
- canonical ubuntu linux18.10
- debian debian linux8.0
- debian debian linux9.0
- redhat enterprise linux7.4
- ruby-lang opensslbefore 2.1.2
- ruby-lang ruby2.5.0 and later · up to 2.5.1 inclusive
- ruby-lang ruby2.4.0 and later · up to 2.4.4 inclusive
- ruby-lang ruby2.3.0 and later · up to 2.3.7 inclusive
- ruby-lang ruby2.6.0
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine:v3.11 | ruby | from 2.3.0 · before 2.5.2-r0 | 2.5.2-r0 |
| Alpine:v3.4 | ruby | from 2.3.0 · before 2.3.8-r0 | 2.3.8-r0 |
| Alpine:v3.6 | ruby | from 2.3.0 · before 2.4.5-r0 | 2.4.5-r0 |
| Debian:8 | ruby2.1 | before 2.1.5-2+deb8u6 | 2.1.5-2+deb8u6 |
| Debian:9 | ruby2.3 | before 2.3.3-1+deb9u4 | 2.3.3-1+deb9u4 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.0 | ruby-bundled-gems-rpmhelper | before 0.0.2-lp151.2.1 | 0.0.2-lp151.2.1 |
| openSUSE:Leap 15.0 | ruby2.5 | before 2.5.5-lp151.4.3.1 | 2.5.5-lp151.4.3.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby | before 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 | 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-debuginfo | before 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 | 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-devel | before 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 | 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-doc | before 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 | 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-irb | before 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 | 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-libs | before 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 | 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | ruby-tcltk | before 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 | 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-bigdecimal | before 0:1.2.0-34.el7_6 | 0:1.2.0-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-io-console | before 0:0.4.2-34.el7_6 | 0:0.4.2-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-json | before 0:1.7.7-34.el7_6 | 0:1.7.7-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-minitest | before 0:4.3.2-34.el7_6 | 0:4.3.2-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-psych | before 0:2.0.0-34.el7_6 | 0:2.0.0-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-rake | before 0:0.9.6-34.el7_6 | 0:0.9.6-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygem-rdoc | before 0:4.0.0-34.el7_6 | 0:4.0.0-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygems | before 0:2.0.14.1-34.el7_6 | 0:2.0.14.1-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | rubygems-devel | before 0:2.0.14.1-34.el7_6 | 0:2.0.14.1-34.el7_6 |
| Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::computenode | ruby | before 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_4 | 0:2.0.0.648-34.el7_4 |
+96
Same product
ruby-lang: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2016-7798The openssl gem for Ruby uses the same initialization vector (IV) in GCM Mode (aes-*-gcm) when the IV is set before the key, which makes it 31Monitor
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 | 2.5.2-r0 · Alpine:v3.11 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:ruby2.1 | 2.1.5-2+deb8u6 · Debian:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:ruby2.3 | 2.3.3-1+deb9u4 · Debian:9 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:ruby-bundled-gems-rpmhelper | 0.0.2-lp151.2.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:ruby2.5 | 2.5.5-lp151.4.3.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-ruby | 0:2.3.8-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-ruby-debuginfo | 0:2.3.8-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-ruby-devel | 0:2.3.8-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-ruby-doc | 0:2.3.8-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-ruby-irb | 0:2.3.8-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-ruby-libs | 0:2.3.8-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-ruby-tcltk | 0:2.3.8-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-rubygem-bigdecimal | 0:1.2.8-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-rubygem-did_you_mean | 0:1.0.0-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-rubygem-io-console | 0:0.4.5-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-rubygem-json | 0:1.8.3.1-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:rh-ruby23-rubygem-minitest | 0:5.8.5-69.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:3::el6 | Package registry (OSV) |
| RubyGems:openssl | 2.0.9 | Package registry (OSV) |
| RubyGems:openssl | 2.1.2 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:ruby | 1.8.7.p357-0.9.20.3.1 · SUSE:WebYast 1.3 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:ruby2.5 | 2.5.5-4.3.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 | 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
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.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
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
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
—
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/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.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
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✗ → ✓
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References
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-07/msg00036.html
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1042105
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3729
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3730
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3731
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3738
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:1948
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2565
- hackerone.com/reports/387250
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/10/msg00020.html
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190221-0002/
- usn.ubuntu.com/3808-1/
- www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4332
- www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2020.html
- www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2018/10/17/openssl-x509-name-equality-check-does-not-work-correctly-cve-2018-16395/
- www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2018/10/17/ruby-2-3-8-released/
- www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2018/10/17/ruby-2-4-5-released/
- www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2018/10/17/ruby-2-5-2-released/
- www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2018/11/06/ruby-2-6-0-preview3-released/
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.