What is CVE-2020-8151?

CVE-2020-8151 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in activeresource (rubygems), affecting versions >= 3.0.0.rc, < 5.1.1. It is fixed in 5.1.1. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.

How severe is CVE-2020-8151?

CVE-2020-8151 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.

Which versions of activeresource are affected by CVE-2020-8151?

activeresource (rubygems) versions >= 3.0.0.rc, < 5.1.1 is affected.

Is there a fix for CVE-2020-8151?

Yes. CVE-2020-8151 is fixed in 5.1.1. Upgrade to this version or later.

Is CVE-2020-8151 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2020-8151 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.

What actually determines whether CVE-2020-8151 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.

CVE-2020-8151 in activeresource

Q: How severe is CVE-2020-8151?

CVE-2020-8151 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.

Q: Which versions of activeresource are affected by CVE-2020-8151?

activeresource (rubygems) versions >= 3.0.0.rc, < 5.1.1 is affected.

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2020-8151?

Yes. CVE-2020-8151 is fixed in 5.1.1. Upgrade to this version or later.

Q: Is CVE-2020-8151 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2020-8151 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.

Q: What actually determines whether CVE-2020-8151 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.

Q: How do I fix CVE-2020-8151?

Upgrade activeresource to 5.1.1 or later.

Summary

Information disclosure issue in Active Resource

There is a possible information disclosure issue in Active Resource <v5.1.1 that could allow an attacker to create specially crafted requests to access data in an unexpected way and possibly leak information.

Impact

The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions. Typical impact: unauthorized data access or execution of privileged operations.

CVE-2020-8151 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 (5.1.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Affected versions

activeresource (>= 3.0.0.rc, < 5.1.1)

Security releases

activeresource → 5.1.1 (rubygems)

Kodem intelligence

Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.

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. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.

Already deployed Kodem?

See it in your environment New to Kodem? Get a demo →

Remediation advice

Upgrade activeresource to 5.1.1 or later to resolve this vulnerability.

Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-8151? CVE-2020-8151 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in activeresource (rubygems), affecting versions >= 3.0.0.rc, < 5.1.1. It is fixed in 5.1.1. The application does not correctly enforce access controls, allowing a principal to access resources or operations beyond their granted permissions.
How severe is CVE-2020-8151? CVE-2020-8151 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.
Which versions of activeresource are affected by CVE-2020-8151? activeresource (rubygems) versions >= 3.0.0.rc, < 5.1.1 is affected.
Is there a fix for CVE-2020-8151? Yes. CVE-2020-8151 is fixed in 5.1.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
Is CVE-2020-8151 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2020-8151 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
What actually determines whether CVE-2020-8151 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.
How do I fix CVE-2020-8151? Upgrade activeresource to 5.1.1 or later.