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NVD / CVE Program· CNA redhat

CVE-2016-2098: Action Pack in Ruby on Rails before 3.2.22.2, 4.x before 4.1.14.2, and 4.2.x before 4.2.5.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary…

HighCVSS 7.3 · v3.0—Weaponized Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: This week (action score 60/100)

  • A ready-made attack module is public (Metasploit); exploiting it takes no special expertise.
  • A ready-made attack tool exists and the flaw can be exploited over the network without an account, so priority is at least “This week”.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 81.4% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 99.6% of all records.
  • 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.
  • Fixed version: rails (Debian:12) 2:4.2.5.2-1; ruby-actionpack-3.2 (Debian:7) 3.2.6-6+deb7u3; rails (Debian:8) 2:4.1.8-1+deb8u2.

Don’t wait for the next maintenance window. Upgrade to rails (Debian:12) 2:4.2.5.2-1; ruby-actionpack-3.2 (Debian:7) 3.2.6-6+deb7u3; rails (Debian:8) 2:4.1.8-1+deb8u2 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

Action Pack in Ruby on Rails before 3.2.22.2, 4.x before 4.1.14.2, and 4.2.x before 4.2.5.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary Ruby code by leveraging an application's unrestricted use of the render method.

Published
Apr 7, 2016
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
81.4% · 99th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

60

This week

Don’t wait for the next maintenance window.

CVSS
29 / 40 · 7.3 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
24 / 30 · 81.4%
Ready-made attack tool
7 / 60 · floor: at least 60

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • Weaponized exploit exists
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

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When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
debiandebian linux
rubyonrailsrails
rubyonrailsruby on rails

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • debian debian linux8.0
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.0
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.1
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.10
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.2
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.3
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.4
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.5
+12 more rows
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.6
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.7
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.8
  • rubyonrails rails4.0.9
  • rubyonrails rails4.1.0
  • rubyonrails rails4.1.1
  • rubyonrails rails4.1.10
  • rubyonrails rails4.1.12
  • rubyonrails rails4.1.13
  • rubyonrails rails4.1.14
  • rubyonrails rails4.1.2
  • rubyonrails rails4.1.3

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12railsbefore 2:4.2.5.2-12:4.2.5.2-1
Debian:7ruby-actionpack-3.2before 3.2.6-6+deb7u33.2.6-6+deb7u3
Debian:8railsbefore 2:4.1.8-1+deb8u22:4.1.8-1+deb8u2
openSUSE:Tumbleweedrubygem-actionview-4_2before 5.0.0.1-1.15.0.0.1-1.1
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6rh-ror41-rubygem-actionpackbefore 1:4.1.5-4.el61:4.1.5-4.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6rh-ror41-rubygem-actionpack-docbefore 1:4.1.5-4.el61:4.1.5-4.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6rh-ror41-rubygem-actionviewbefore 0:4.1.5-5.el60:4.1.5-5.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6rh-ror41-rubygem-actionview-docbefore 0:4.1.5-5.el60:4.1.5-5.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6ror40-rubygem-actionpackbefore 1:4.0.2-7.el61:4.0.2-7.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6ror40-rubygem-actionpack-docbefore 1:4.0.2-7.el61:4.0.2-7.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6ror40-rubygem-activerecordbefore 1:4.0.2-6.el61:4.0.2-6.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6ror40-rubygem-activerecord-docbefore 1:4.0.2-6.el61:4.0.2-6.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6ror40-rubygem-activesupportbefore 1:4.0.2-4.el61:4.0.2-4.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6ruby193-rubygem-actionpackbefore 1:3.2.8-16.el61:3.2.8-16.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6ruby193-rubygem-actionpack-docbefore 1:3.2.8-16.el61:3.2.8-16.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6ruby193-rubygem-activerecordbefore 1:3.2.8-11.el61:3.2.8-11.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6ruby193-rubygem-activerecord-docbefore 1:3.2.8-11.el61:3.2.8-11.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6ruby193-rubygem-activesupportbefore 1:3.2.8-6.el61:3.2.8-6.el6
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el7rh-ror41-rubygem-actionpackbefore 1:4.1.5-4.el71:4.1.5-4.el7
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el7rh-ror41-rubygem-actionpack-docbefore 1:4.1.5-4.el71:4.1.5-4.el7
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el7rh-ror41-rubygem-actionviewbefore 0:4.1.5-5.el70:4.1.5-5.el7
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el7rh-ror41-rubygem-actionview-docbefore 0:4.1.5-5.el70:4.1.5-5.el7
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el7ror40-rubygem-actionpackbefore 1:4.0.2-7.el71:4.0.2-7.el7
Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el7ror40-rubygem-actionpack-docbefore 1:4.0.2-7.el71:4.0.2-7.el7

+25

Same product

debian: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2016-9079A use-after-free vulnerability in SVG Animation has been discovered.KEV
    86Now
  • CVE-2024-44308The issue was addressed with improved checks.KEV
    68This week
  • CVE-2021-25216A second vulnerability in BIND's GSSAPI security policy negotiation can be targeted by a buffer overflow attack
    64This week

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2013-7448Feb 23, 2016 · Directory traversal vulnerability in wiki.c in didiwiki allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files via the page parameter to…
    31Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2016-2856Mar 13, 2016 · pt_chown in the glibc package before 2.19-18+deb8u4 on Debian jessie; the elibc package before 2.15-0ubuntu10.14 on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and…
    33Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2016-2851Apr 7, 2016 · Integer overflow in proto.c in libotr before 4.1.1 on 64-bit platforms allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory…
    46Plan

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
debian:rails2:4.2.5.2-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
debian:ruby-actionpack-3.23.2.6-6+deb7u3 · Debian:7Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:rubygem-actionview-4_25.0.0.1-1.1 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:rh-ror41-rubygem-actionpack1:4.1.5-4.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:rh-ror41-rubygem-actionpack-doc1:4.1.5-4.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ror40-rubygem-actionpack1:4.0.2-7.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ror40-rubygem-actionpack-doc1:4.0.2-7.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ror40-rubygem-activerecord1:4.0.2-6.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ror40-rubygem-activerecord-doc1:4.0.2-6.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ror40-rubygem-activesupport1:4.0.2-4.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ruby193-rubygem-actionpack1:3.2.8-16.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ruby193-rubygem-actionpack-doc1:3.2.8-16.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ruby193-rubygem-activerecord1:3.2.8-11.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ruby193-rubygem-activerecord-doc1:3.2.8-11.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:ruby193-rubygem-activesupport1:3.2.8-6.el6 · Red Hat:rhel_software_collections:2::el6Package registry (OSV)
RubyGems:actionpack3.2.22.2Package registry (OSV)
RubyGems:actionpack4.1.14.2Package registry (OSV)
RubyGems:actionpack4.2.5.2Package registry (OSV)
suse:portus2.0.3-2.4 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 12Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-actionmailer-4_24.2.9-3.3.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 6Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-actionpack-3_23.2.12-0.26.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-actionpack-4_24.2.9-7.3.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 6Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-actionview-4_14.1.9-12.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 5Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-actionview-4_24.2.2-8.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 6Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-activejob-4_24.2.9-3.3.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 6Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-activemodel-4_24.2.9-6.3.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 6Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-activerecord-4_24.2.9-6.3.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 6Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-activesupport-4_24.2.9-7.3.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 6Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-rails-4_24.2.9-3.3.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 6Package registry (OSV)
suse:rubygem-rails-html-sanitizer1.0.3-8.3.1 · SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 6Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

Weaponized

A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.

Evidence

  • Metasploit module ×1
  • Exploit-DB entry ×1
  • Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×12

Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.

Public exploit evidence
SourceKindDate
Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub12 repositories2016-03-01 → 2025-04-25
Exploit-DB entryremote2016-07-11
Metasploit moduleexploit/multi/http/rails_actionpack_inline_execRuby on Rails ActionPack Inline ERB Code Executionexploit2016-03-01

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.

  1. First PoC-38 d
  2. Metasploit-38 d
  3. Published
  4. TodayNov 14, 2026+3873 d
EPSS, last 120 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Bug bounty scope

The product’s vendor appears in a public program. Matched by name; verify the scope text in the program.

Not on record for this CVE: patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate.

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
low · data can be read
Integrity
low · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
low · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
Low
Integrity impact
Low
Availability impact
Low

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-20 · Improper Input Validation

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

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.

References

Show all references (10 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records