Summary
Rails has possible XSS Vulnerability in Action Controller
Possible XSS Vulnerability in Action Controller
There is a possible XSS vulnerability when using the translation helpers
(translate, t, etc) in Action Controller. This vulnerability has been
assigned the CVE identifier CVE-2024-26143.
Versions Affected: >= 7.0.0.
Not affected: < 7.0.0
Fixed Versions: 7.1.3.1, 7.0.8.1
Impact
Applications using translation methods like translate, or t on a
controller, with a key ending in "_html", a :default key which contains
untrusted user input, and the resulting string is used in a view, may be
susceptible to an XSS vulnerability.
For example, impacted code will look something like this:
class ArticlesController < ApplicationController
def show
@message = t("message_html", default: untrusted_input)
# The `show` template displays the contents of `@message`
end
end
To reiterate the pre-conditions, applications must:
- Use a translation function from a controller (i.e. not I18n.t, or
tfrom
a view) - Use a key that ends in
_html - Use a default value where the default value is untrusted and unescaped input
- Send the text to the victim (whether that's part of a template, or a
rendercall)
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
There are no feasible workarounds for this issue.
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.
- 7-0-translate-xss.patch - Patch for 7.0 series
- 7-1-translate-xss.patch - Patch for 7.1 series
Credits
Thanks to ooooooo_q for the patch and fix!
Impact
Untrusted input is rendered as active markup in a victim's browser, which can run script in their session. Typical impact: session or credential theft, and actions taken as the user.
CVE-2024-26143 has a CVSS score of 6.1 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and user interaction required. 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 (7.0.8.1, 7.1.3.1); 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.
Already deployed Kodem?
See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
actionpack to 7.0.8.1 or later; actionpack to 7.1.3.1 or later; rails to 7.0.8.1 or later; rails to 7.1.3.1 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2024-26143? CVE-2024-26143 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in actionpack (rubygems), affecting versions >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.8.1. It is fixed in 7.0.8.1, 7.1.3.1. Untrusted input is rendered as active markup in a victim's browser, which can run script in their session.
- How severe is CVE-2024-26143? CVE-2024-26143 has a CVSS score of 6.1 (Medium). 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 packages are affected by CVE-2024-26143?
actionpack(rubygems) (versions >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.8.1)rails(rubygems) (versions >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.8.1)
- Is there a fix for CVE-2024-26143? Yes. CVE-2024-26143 is fixed in 7.0.8.1, 7.1.3.1. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2024-26143 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-26143 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-2024-26143 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-2024-26143?
- Upgrade
actionpackto 7.0.8.1 or later - Upgrade
actionpackto 7.1.3.1 or later - Upgrade
railsto 7.0.8.1 or later - Upgrade
railsto 7.1.3.1 or later
- Upgrade