VYPR
Moderate severityNVD Advisory· Published Mar 13, 2018· Updated Aug 5, 2024

CVE-2018-1000078

CVE-2018-1000078

Description

RubyGems 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 series: 2.5.0 and earlier, prior to trunk revision 62422 contains a Cross Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in gem server display of homepage attribute that can result in XSS. This attack appear to be exploitable via the victim must browse to a malicious gem on a vulnerable gem server. This vulnerability appears to have been fixed in 2.7.6.

AI Insight

LLM-synthesized narrative grounded in this CVE's description and references.

RubyGems gem server fails to sanitize the homepage attribute, allowing stored XSS when a victim views a malicious gem on a vulnerable server.

Vulnerability

The RubyGems package, as included in Ruby versions 2.2.9 and earlier, 2.3.6 and earlier, 2.4.3 and earlier, and 2.5.0 and earlier (prior to trunk revision 62422), contains a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the gem server display of the homepage attribute [1], [4]. When a gem is served by the built-in gem server, the homepage URL provided in the gem specification is rendered without proper sanitization, allowing an attacker to inject arbitrary HTML or JavaScript into the web interface [1]. The vulnerability is fixed in Ruby 2.7.6 and later versions [1], [4].

Exploitation

An attacker must host or upload a malicious gem to a vulnerable gem server instance, setting the gem's homepage attribute to a crafted payload containing JavaScript. A victim must browse to that gem's page on the vulnerable gem server using a browser that executes the injected script. No authentication is required for the victim, only network access to the server [1], [4].

Impact

Successful exploitation results in arbitrary JavaScript execution in the victim's browser within the context of the gem server domain. This can lead to session hijacking, defacement, or theft of sensitive information displayed by the server. The attacker does not gain direct server-side code execution but achieves client-side compromise [1], [4].

Mitigation

A fix for this vulnerability was released in Ruby 2.7.6 [1]. Red Hat provided updated packages via RHSA-2018:3731, RHSA-2018:3730, RHSA-2018:3729, and RHSA-2020:0663 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Software Collections [1], [2], [3], [4]. Users should upgrade to Ruby 2.7.6 or later, or apply the relevant vendor patch. If an upgrade is not immediately possible, disabling or restricting access to the gem server interface reduces the attack surface [1], [4].

AI Insight generated on May 22, 2026. Synthesized from this CVE's description and the cited reference URLs; citations are validated against the source bundle.

Affected packages

Versions sourced from the GitHub Security Advisory.

PackageAffected versionsPatched versions
rubygems-updateRubyGems
< 2.7.62.7.6
org.jruby:jruby-stdlibMaven
< 9.1.16.09.1.16.0

Affected products

29

Patches

3
0b06b48ab443

Apply backported RubyGems 2.7.6 patch.

https://github.com/jruby/jrubyCharles Oliver NutterFeb 16, 2018via ghsa
7 files changed · +75 20
  • lib/ruby/stdlib/rubygems/commands/owner_command.rb+1 1 modified
    @@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def show_owners name
         end
     
         with_response response do |resp|
    -      owners = YAML.load resp.body
    +      owners = Gem::SafeYAML.load resp.body
     
           say "Owners for gem: #{name}"
           owners.each do |owner|
    
  • lib/ruby/stdlib/rubygems/package.rb+33 4 modified
    @@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ def extract_tar_gz io, destination_dir, pattern = "*" # :nodoc:
                 File.dirname destination
               end
     
    -        FileUtils.mkdir_p mkdir, mkdir_options
    +        mkdir_p_safe mkdir, mkdir_options, destination_dir, entry.full_name
     
             open destination, 'wb' do |out|
               out.write entry.read
    @@ -416,20 +416,35 @@ def install_location filename, destination_dir # :nodoc:
         raise Gem::Package::PathError.new(filename, destination_dir) if
           filename.start_with? '/'
     
    -    destination_dir = File.realpath destination_dir if
    -      File.respond_to? :realpath
    +    destination_dir = realpath destination_dir
         destination_dir = File.expand_path destination_dir
     
         destination = File.join destination_dir, filename
         destination = File.expand_path destination
     
         raise Gem::Package::PathError.new(destination, destination_dir) unless
    -      destination.start_with? destination_dir
    +      destination.start_with? destination_dir + '/'
     
         destination.untaint
         destination
       end
     
    +  def mkdir_p_safe mkdir, mkdir_options, destination_dir, file_name
    +    destination_dir = realpath File.expand_path(destination_dir)
    +    parts = mkdir.split(File::SEPARATOR)
    +    parts.reduce do |path, basename|
    +      path = realpath path  unless path == ""
    +      path = File.expand_path(path + File::SEPARATOR + basename)
    +      lstat = File.lstat path rescue nil
    +      if !lstat || !lstat.directory?
    +        unless path.start_with? destination_dir and (FileUtils.mkdir path, mkdir_options rescue false)
    +          raise Gem::Package::PathError.new(file_name, destination_dir)
    +        end
    +      end
    +      path
    +    end
    +  end
    +
       ##
       # Loads a Gem::Specification from the TarEntry +entry+
     
    @@ -603,6 +618,10 @@ def verify_files gem
           raise Gem::Package::FormatError.new \
                   'package content (data.tar.gz) is missing', @gem
         end
    +
    +    if duplicates = @files.group_by {|f| f }.select {|k,v| v.size > 1 }.map(&:first) and duplicates.any?
    +      raise Gem::Security::Exception, "duplicate files in the package: (#{duplicates.map(&:inspect).join(', ')})"
    +    end
       end
     
       ##
    @@ -616,6 +635,16 @@ def verify_gz entry # :nodoc:
         raise Gem::Package::FormatError.new(e.message, entry.full_name)
       end
     
    +  if File.respond_to? :realpath
    +    def realpath file
    +      File.realpath file
    +    end
    +  else
    +    def realpath file
    +      file
    +    end
    +  end
    +
     end
     
     require 'rubygems/package/digest_io'
    
  • lib/ruby/stdlib/rubygems/package/tar_header.rb+14 9 modified
    @@ -104,25 +104,30 @@ def self.from(stream)
         fields = header.unpack UNPACK_FORMAT
     
         new :name     => fields.shift,
    -        :mode     => fields.shift.oct,
    -        :uid      => fields.shift.oct,
    -        :gid      => fields.shift.oct,
    -        :size     => fields.shift.oct,
    -        :mtime    => fields.shift.oct,
    -        :checksum => fields.shift.oct,
    +        :mode     => strict_oct(fields.shift),
    +        :uid      => strict_oct(fields.shift),
    +        :gid      => strict_oct(fields.shift),
    +        :size     => strict_oct(fields.shift),
    +        :mtime    => strict_oct(fields.shift),
    +        :checksum => strict_oct(fields.shift),
             :typeflag => fields.shift,
             :linkname => fields.shift,
             :magic    => fields.shift,
    -        :version  => fields.shift.oct,
    +        :version  => strict_oct(fields.shift),
             :uname    => fields.shift,
             :gname    => fields.shift,
    -        :devmajor => fields.shift.oct,
    -        :devminor => fields.shift.oct,
    +        :devmajor => strict_oct(fields.shift),
    +        :devminor => strict_oct(fields.shift),
             :prefix   => fields.shift,
     
             :empty => empty
       end
     
    +  def self.strict_oct(str)
    +    return str.oct if str =~ /\A[0-7]*\z/
    +    raise ArgumentError, "#{str.inspect} is not an octal string"
    +  end
    +
       ##
       # Creates a new TarHeader using +vals+
     
    
  • lib/ruby/stdlib/rubygems/package/tar_writer.rb+2 0 modified
    @@ -196,6 +196,8 @@ def add_file_signed name, mode, signer
           digest_name == signer.digest_name
         end
     
    +    raise "no #{signer.digest_name} in #{digests.values.compact}" unless signature_digest
    +
         if signer.key then
           signature = signer.sign signature_digest.digest
     
    
  • lib/ruby/stdlib/rubygems.rb+1 1 modified
    @@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     require 'thread'
     
     module Gem
    -  VERSION = "2.6.14"
    +  VERSION = "2.6.14.1"
     end
     
     # Must be first since it unloads the prelude from 1.9.2
    
  • lib/ruby/stdlib/rubygems/server.rb+13 1 modified
    @@ -631,6 +631,18 @@ def root(req, res)
           executables = nil if executables.empty?
           executables.last["is_last"] = true if executables
     
    +      # Pre-process spec homepage for safety reasons
    +      begin
    +        homepage_uri = URI.parse(spec.homepage)
    +        if [URI::HTTP, URI::HTTPS].member? homepage_uri.class
    +          homepage_uri = spec.homepage
    +        else
    +          homepage_uri = "."
    +        end
    +      rescue URI::InvalidURIError
    +        homepage_uri = "."
    +      end
    +
           specs << {
             "authors"             => spec.authors.sort.join(", "),
             "date"                => spec.date.to_s,
    @@ -640,7 +652,7 @@ def root(req, res)
             "only_one_executable" => (executables && executables.size == 1),
             "full_name"           => spec.full_name,
             "has_deps"            => !deps.empty?,
    -        "homepage"            => spec.homepage,
    +        "homepage"            => homepage_uri,
             "name"                => spec.name,
             "rdoc_installed"      => Gem::RDoc.new(spec).rdoc_installed?,
             "ri_installed"        => Gem::RDoc.new(spec).ri_installed?,
    
  • lib/ruby/stdlib/rubygems/specification.rb+11 4 modified
    @@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     require 'rubygems/stub_specification'
     require 'rubygems/util/list'
     require 'stringio'
    +require 'uri'
     
     ##
     # The Specification class contains the information for a Gem.  Typically
    @@ -2810,10 +2811,16 @@ def validate packaging = true
           raise Gem::InvalidSpecificationException, "#{lazy} is not a summary"
         end
     
    -    if homepage and not homepage.empty? and
    -       homepage !~ /\A[a-z][a-z\d+.-]*:/i then
    -      raise Gem::InvalidSpecificationException,
    -            "\"#{homepage}\" is not a URI"
    +    # Make sure a homepage is valid HTTP/HTTPS URI
    +    if homepage and not homepage.empty?
    +      begin
    +        homepage_uri = URI.parse(homepage)
    +        unless [URI::HTTP, URI::HTTPS].member? homepage_uri.class
    +          raise Gem::InvalidSpecificationException, "\"#{homepage}\" is not a valid HTTP URI"
    +        end
    +      rescue URI::InvalidURIError
    +        raise Gem::InvalidSpecificationException, "\"#{homepage}\" is not a valid HTTP URI"
    +      end
         end
     
         # Warnings
    
5971b486d4db

Version 2.7.6 with changelog

https://github.com/rubygems/rubygemsSamuel GiddinsFeb 16, 2018via ghsa
2 files changed · +20 1
  • History.txt+19 0 modified
    @@ -1,5 +1,24 @@
     # coding: UTF-8
     
    +=== 2.7.6 / 2018-02-16
    +
    +Security fixes:
    +
    +* Prevent path traversal when writing to a symlinked basedir outside of the root.
    +  Discovered by nmalkin, fixed by Jonathan Claudius and Samuel Giddins.
    +* Fix possible Unsafe Object Deserialization Vulnerability in gem owner.
    +  Fixed by Jonathan Claudius.
    +* Strictly interpret octal fields in tar headers.
    +  Discoved by plover, fixed by Samuel Giddins.
    +* Raise a security error when there are duplicate files in a package.
    +  Discovered by plover, fixed by Samuel Giddins.
    +* Enforce URL validation on spec homepage attribute.
    +  Discovered by Yasin Soliman, fixed by Jonathan Claudius.
    +* Mitigate XSS vulnerability in homepage attribute when displayed via `gem server`.
    +  Discovered by Yasin Soliman, fixed by Jonathan Claudius.
    +* Prevent Path Traversal issue during gem installation.
    +  Discovered by nmalkin.
    +
     === 2.7.4
     
     Bug fixes:
    
  • lib/rubygems.rb+1 1 modified
    @@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
     require 'thread'
     
     module Gem
    -  VERSION = "2.7.5"
    +  VERSION = "2.7.6"
     end
     
     # Must be first since it unloads the prelude from 1.9.2
    
66a28b927555

Fix 289313

https://github.com/rubygems/rubygemsJonathan ClaudiusFeb 2, 2018via ghsa
1 file changed · +1 1
  • lib/rubygems/server.rb+1 1 modified
    @@ -632,7 +632,7 @@ def root(req, res)
             "only_one_executable" => (executables && executables.size == 1),
             "full_name"           => spec.full_name,
             "has_deps"            => !deps.empty?,
    -        "homepage"            => spec.homepage,
    +        "homepage"            => (URI.parse(spec.homepage).is_a?(URI::HTTP) || URI.parse(spec.homepage).is_a?(URI::HTTPS)) ? spec.homepage : ".",
             "name"                => spec.name,
             "rdoc_installed"      => Gem::RDoc.new(spec).rdoc_installed?,
             "ri_installed"        => Gem::RDoc.new(spec).ri_installed?,
    

Vulnerability mechanics

Generated on May 9, 2026. Inputs: CWE entries + fix-commit diffs from this CVE's patches. Citations validated against bundle.

References

23

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