← Vulnerability feed

Vulnerability record · CVE-2008-3657 · published 13 August 2008

CVE-2008-3657: Ruby-lang ruby improper input validation vulnerability

Ruby Lang · Ruby

The dl module in Ruby 1.8.5 and earlier, 1.8.6 through 1.8.6-p286, 1.8.7 through 1.8.7-p71, and 1.9 through r18423 does not check "taintness" of inputs, which allows context-dependent attackers to bypass safe levels and execute dangerous functions by accessing a library using DL.dlopen.

7.5 CVSS 2.0 High EPSS 14% · top 3.6% CWE-20 · Improper input validation
7.5CVSS 2.0 base score
14%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
60References, 2 tagged exploit
16 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

The dl module in Ruby 1.8.5 and earlier, 1.8.6 through 1.8.6-p286, 1.8.7 through 1.8.7-p71, and 1.9 through r18423 does not check "taintness" of inputs, which allows context-dependent attackers to bypass safe levels and execute dangerous functions by accessing a library using DL.dlopen.

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=494401
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2009/May/msg00002.html
http://secunia.com/advisories/31430 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/31697 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32165 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32219 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32255 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32256 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32371 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33178 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/35074 Vendor Advisory
http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200812-17.xml
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3549
http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2008-424.htm
http://wiki.rpath.com/wiki/Advisories:rPSA-2008-0264
http://www.debian.org/security/2008/dsa-1651
http://www.debian.org/security/2008/dsa-1652
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0897.html
http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2008/08/08/multiple-vulnerabilities-in-ruby/
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/495884/100/0/threaded
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/30644 ExploitPatch
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1020652
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-133A.html US Government Resource
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2334 Vendor Advisory
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1297 Vendor Advisory
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/44372
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A9793
https://usn.ubuntu.com/651-1/
https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2008-October/msg00259.html
https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2008-October/msg00299.html
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=494401
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2009/May/msg00002.html
http://secunia.com/advisories/31430 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/31697 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32165 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32219 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32255 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32256 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/32371 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33178 Vendor Advisory

Track CVE-2008-3657 inside VULONE

Watch it alongside the ransomware crews, C2 infrastructure and forum chatter that reference it, query it through the API and pull it into your SIEM over TAXII.

Start free Open in platform

Related vulnerabilities

Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

10.0CVE-2009-4124Ruby-lang ruby memory buffer overflow vulnerabilityHeap-based buffer overflow in the rb_str_justify function in string.c in Ruby 1.9.1 before 1.9.1-p376 allows context-dependent attackers to execute a…EPSS 3.9%10.0CVE-2008-2662Ruby-lang ruby vulnerabilityMultiple integer overflows in the rb_str_buf_append function in Ruby 1.8.4 and earlier, 1.8.5 before 1.8.5-p231, 1.8.6 before 1.8.6-p230, 1.8.7 befor…EPSS 4.3%10.0CVE-2008-2663Ruby-lang ruby integer overflow vulnerabilityMultiple integer overflows in the rb_ary_store function in Ruby 1.8.4 and earlier, 1.8.5 before 1.8.5-p231, 1.8.6 before 1.8.6-p230, and 1.8.7 before…EPSS 4.5%9.8CVE-2016-2338Ruby-lang ruby out-of-bounds write vulnerabilityAn exploitable heap overflow vulnerability exists in the Psych::Emitter start_document function of Ruby. In Psych::Emitter start_document function he…EPSS 4.7%9.8CVE-2022-28738Ruby-lang ruby double free vulnerabilityA double free was found in the Regexp compiler in Ruby 3.x before 3.0.4 and 3.1.x before 3.1.2. If a victim attempts to create a Regexp from untruste…EPSS 2.9%9.8CVE-2011-4121Ruby-lang ruby inadequate encryption strength vulnerabilityThe OpenSSL extension of Ruby (Git trunk) versions after 2011-09-01 up to 2011-11-03 always generated an exponent value of '1' to be used for private…EPSS 2.5%9.8CVE-2018-16395Ruby-lang openssl vulnerabilityAn issue was discovered in the OpenSSL library in Ruby before 2.3.8, 2.4.x before 2.4.5, 2.5.x before 2.5.2, and 2.6.x before 2.6.0-preview3. When tw…EPSS 11%9.8CVE-2017-17790Ruby-lang ruby injection vulnerabilityThe lazy_initialize function in lib/resolv.rb in Ruby through 2.4.3 uses Kernel#open, which might allow Command Injection attacks, as demonstrated by…EPSS 5.9%

Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2008-3657), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.