Summary
SQL Injection Vulnerability via ActiveRecord comments
There is a possible vulnerability in ActiveRecord related to the sanitization of comments. This vulnerability has been assigned the CVE identifier CVE-2023-22794.
Versions Affected: >= 6.0.0 Not affected: < 6.0.0 Fixed Versions: 6.0.6.1, 6.1.7.1, 7.0.4.1
Impact
Previously the implementation of escaping for comments was insufficient for
If malicious user input is passed to either the annotate query method, the optimizer_hints query method, or through the QueryLogs interface which automatically adds annotations, it may be sent to the database with insufficient sanitization and be able to inject SQL outside of the comment.
In most cases these interfaces won’t be used with user input and users should avoid doing so.
Example vulnerable code:
Post.where(id: 1).annotate("#{params[:user_input]}")
Post.where(id: 1).optimizer_hints("#{params[:user_input]}")
Example vulnerable QueryLogs configuration (the default configuration is not vulnerable):
config.active_record.query_log_tags = [
{
something: -> { <some value including user input> }
}
]
All users running an affected release should either upgrade or use one of the workarounds immediately.
Releases
The FIXED releases are available at the normal locations.
Workarounds
Avoid passing user input to annotate and avoid using QueryLogs configuration which can include user input.
Patches
To aid users who aren’t able to upgrade immediately we have provided patches for the two supported release series. They are in git-am format and consist of a single changeset.
6-0-Make-sanitize_as_sql_comment-more-strict.patch - Patch for 6.0 series
6-1-Make-sanitize_as_sql_comment-more-strict.patch - Patch for 6.1 series
7-0-Make-sanitize_as_sql_comment-more-strict.patch - Patch for 7.0 series
Please note that only the 7.0.Z and 6.1.Z series are supported at present, and 6.0.Z for severe vulnerabilities. Users of earlier unsupported releases are advised to upgrade as soon as possible as we cannot guarantee the continued availability of security fixes for unsupported releases.
Impact
Untrusted input alters a database query, allowing the attacker to read or modify data the query was not intended to access. Typical impact: data disclosure or modification.
CVE-2023-22794 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low 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 (6.0.6.1, 6.1.7.1, 7.0.4.1); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
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.
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activerecord to 6.0.6.1 or later; activerecord to 6.1.7.1 or later; activerecord to 7.0.4.1 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-22794? CVE-2023-22794 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability in activerecord (rubygems), affecting versions >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.6.1. It is fixed in 6.0.6.1, 6.1.7.1, 7.0.4.1. Untrusted input alters a database query, allowing the attacker to read or modify data the query was not intended to access.
- How severe is CVE-2023-22794? CVE-2023-22794 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (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 activerecord are affected by CVE-2023-22794? activerecord (rubygems) versions >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.6.1 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-22794? Yes. CVE-2023-22794 is fixed in 6.0.6.1, 6.1.7.1, 7.0.4.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-22794 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-22794 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-2023-22794 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-2023-22794?
- Upgrade
activerecordto 6.0.6.1 or later - Upgrade
activerecordto 6.1.7.1 or later - Upgrade
activerecordto 7.0.4.1 or later
- Upgrade