Today the Rails core team announced 5 security alerts.
Here is a full list with versions affected so you know if your app needs updating.
CVE-2013-6416 XSS Vulnerability in simple_format helper
- Versions Affected: 4.0.0 & 4.0.1
- Not affected: Versions prior to 4.0
- Fixed Versions: 4.0.2
CVE-2013-6417 Incomplete fix to CVE-2013-0155 (Unsafe Query Generation Risk)
- Versions Affected: All.
- Not affected: None
- Fixed Versions: 4.0.2 & 3.2.16
CVE-2013-4491 Reflective XSS Vulnerability in Ruby on Rails
- Versions Affected: 3.0.6 and all later versions.
- Not affected: 3.0.5 and earlier 3.0.x versions.
- Fixed Versions: 4.0.2, 3.2.16.
CVE-2013-6414 Denial of Service Vulnerability in Action View
- Versions Affected: 3.0.0 and all later versions
- Not affected: 2.3.x
- Fixed Versions: 4.0.2, 3.2.16
CVE-2013-6415 XSS Vulnerability in number_to_currency
- Versions Affected: All.
- Fixed Versions: 4.0.2, 3.2.16.
Why This Still Matters Today:
Even though these specific vulnerabilities targeted Rails versions from 2013, the core principles highlighted by this announcement remain critically important for web developers today:
-
Timely Security Patching is a Continuous Imperative: Just as it was crucial in 2013, promptly applying security updates to your web framework (Rails or others) is essential to protect against evolving threats and safeguard your application and user data today.
-
Official Security Announcements are the Primary Source of Truth: Relying on official security advisories from framework maintainers (like the Rails core team in this case) continues to be the most reliable way to stay informed about vulnerabilities and the necessary fixes for your technology stack.
-
Ignoring Security Alerts Leads to Significant Risk: The urgency conveyed in this 2013 article about upgrading underscores a timeless truth: neglecting security updates leaves applications vulnerable to exploitation, potentially leading to severe consequences.
If you are able to upgrade your Rails app , going to 3.2.16 or 4.0.2 will apply all the patches you need to handle these security issues.
We are already busy applying the fixes these alerts to all of our Sentinel Ruby on Rails support clients, if you need help with your application, or want to have these sorts of things just taken care of for your Ruby on Rails application, please get in touch.
Mikel Lindsaar reInteractive
