CVE-2019-25061: Random password generator Insecure PRNG Use Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-ggfx-h9xj-5v9c
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-330 CWE-335
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2019-25061 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) insecure prng use vulnerability (CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values) affecting Random password generator libraries in the RubyGems ecosystem. The issue involves insecure prng use in random_password_generator. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2019-25061 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2019-25061
GHSA Identifier GHSA-ggfx-h9xj-5v9c
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values
Affected Product Random password generator
Package Ecosystem RubyGems
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2019-25061

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Random password generator dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

random_password_generator fixed: Latest secure release 
Upgrade random_password_generator to Latest secure release
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for random_password_generator

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2019-25061, inspect your project dependencies for Random password generator:

inspect dependencies for random_password_generator

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Random password generator in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values, where the product uses insufficiently random numbers or values in a security context that depends on unpredictable numbers. In Random password generator, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

The random_password_generator (aka RandomPasswordGenerator) gem through 1.0.0 for Ruby uses Kernel#rand to generate passwords, which, due to its cyclic nature, can facilitate password prediction.

CVE-2019-25061 Affected Random password generator Versions

1 component(s)
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
random_password_generator
gem/random_password_generator
RubyGems
≤ 1.0.0

References

NVD — CVE-2019-25061 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-25061
Random password generator Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/bvsatyaram/random_password_generator/pull/1
Random password generator Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/bvsatyaram/random_password_generator
Random password generator Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/bvsatyaram/random_password_generator/blob/2855e8d7d8803dbb580ddd6cf13846394eb4530e/lib/random_password_generator.rb#L23
Random password generator Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/rubysec/ruby-advisory-db/blob/master/gems/random_password_generator/CVE-2019-25061.yml
ruby-doc.org/core-3.1.2/random.h... WEB
https://ruby-doc.org/core-3.1.2/Random.html
Random password generator Security Information SECURITY
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/42170239/security-of-rand-in-ruby-compared-to-other-methods/42170560

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-25061?
CVE-2019-25061 is a security vulnerability in Random password generator involving Insecure PRNG use in random_password_generator under CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values.
Which Random password generator versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches across affected packages: random_password_generator.
What version fixes CVE-2019-25061?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is random_password_generator affected?
Yes, random_password_generator is affected in releases prior to Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to Latest secure release or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2019-25061?
CVE-2019-25061 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2019-25061?
CVE-2019-25061 is classified under CWE-330: Use of Insufficiently Random Values (The product uses insufficiently random numbers or values in a security context that depends on unpredictable numbers.).
How can I check RubyGems dependencies for CVE-2019-25061?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for random_password_generator'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-ggfx-h9xj-5v9c",
  "modified" : "2022-05-31T23:27:43Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-19T00:00:40Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2019-25061" ],
  "summary" : "Insecure PRNG use in random_password_generator",
  "details" : "The random_password_generator (aka RandomPasswordGenerator) gem through 1.0.0 for Ruby uses Kernel#rand to generate passwords, which, due to its cyclic nature, can facilitate password prediction.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "RubyGems",
      "name" : "random_password_generator"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "1.0.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-25061"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/bvsatyaram/random_password_generator/pull/1"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/bvsatyaram/random_password_generator"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/bvsatyaram/random_password_generator/blob/2855e8d7d8803dbb580ddd6cf13846394eb4530e/lib/random_password_generator.rb#L23"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/rubysec/ruby-advisory-db/blob/master/gems/random_password_generator/CVE-2019-25061.yml"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://ruby-doc.org/core-3.1.2/Random.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://stackoverflow.com/questions/42170239/security-of-rand-in-ruby-compared-to-other-methods/42170560"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-330", "CWE-335" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-05-25T20:15:34Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2022-05-18T11:15:00Z"
  }
}