MEDIUM CVSS 6.1
Published: 2021-02-11

CVE-2021-22881

rubyonrails rails Security Advisory (CVE-2021-22881)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2021-22881 impacting rubyonrails rails. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 6.1 (MEDIUM).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
The Host Authorization middleware in Action Pack before 6.1.2.1, 6.0.3.5 suffers from an open redirect vulnerability. Specially crafted `Host` headers in combination with certain "allowed host" formats can cause the Host Authorization middleware in Action Pack to redirect users to a malicious website. Impacted applications will have allowed hosts with a leading dot. When an allowed host contains a leading dot, a specially crafted `Host` header can be used to redirect to a malicious website.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
Required (UI:R)
User must click or open resource
Scope
Changed (S:C)
Impacts components beyond caller authority
Confidentiality
Low (C:L)
Partial information leakage
Integrity
Low (I:L)
Partial data modification possible
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product rubyonrails / rails
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-601

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2021-22881 impacting rubyonrails rails.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2021-22881.yaml
id: cve-2021-22881

info:
  name: rubyonrails rails - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: medium
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2021-22881 affecting rubyonrails rails.
    Evaluation: The Host Authorization middleware in Action Pack before 6.1.2.1, 6.0.3.5 suffers from an open redirect vulnerability. Specially crafted `Host` headers...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2021-22881
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
    cvss-score: 6.1
    cve-id: CVE-2021-22881
    cwe-id: CWE-601
  tags: cve,cve-2021-22881,rubyonrails,rails,medium

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "rails"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2021-22881.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2021-22881
# Target: rubyonrails rails | CVSS: 6.1 (MEDIUM)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2021-22881 (rubyonrails rails)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against rubyonrails rails scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2021-22881.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2021-22881
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install rails 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade rails 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update rails

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i rails 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i rails

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2021-22881 in rubyonrails rails?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update rubyonrails rails packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2021-22881?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2021-22881?

CVE-2021-22881 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 6.1 (MEDIUM). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
6.1
MEDIUM SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2021-22881
Weakness CWE-601
Vendor rubyonrails
Product rails
Published 2021-02-11
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N