CVE-2018-3760

Sprockets path traversal leads to information leak

Specially crafted requests can be used to access files that exist on the filesystem that is outside an application's root directory, when the Sprockets server is used in production.

All users running an affected release should either upgrade or use one of the work arounds immediately.

Workaround:

In Rails applications, work around this issue, set config.assets.compile = false and config.public_file_server.enabled = true in an initializer and precompile the assets.

This work around will not be possible in all hosting environments and upgrading is advised.

Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files. Typical impact: unauthorized file read or write outside the intended directory.

CVE-2018-3760 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2.12.5, 3.7.2, 4.0.0.beta8); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

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1. What is CVE-2018-3760? CVE-2018-3760 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in sprockets (rubygems), affecting versions < 2.12.5. It is fixed in 2.12.5, 3.7.2, 4.0.0.beta8. Input manipulates file paths to reach files outside the intended directory, such as configuration or credential files.
2. How severe is CVE-2018-3760? CVE-2018-3760 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of sprockets are affected by CVE-2018-3760? sprockets (rubygems) versions < 2.12.5 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2018-3760? Yes. CVE-2018-3760 is fixed in 2.12.5, 3.7.2, 4.0.0.beta8. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2018-3760 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2018-3760 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2018-3760 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
7. How do I fix CVE-2018-3760?
   • Upgrade sprockets to 2.12.5 or later
   • Upgrade sprockets to 3.7.2 or later
   • Upgrade sprockets to 4.0.0.beta8 or later

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