GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3: Nokogiri Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

MODERATE
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CVSS 6.5
CWE-91
Published
Advisory Summary

GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3 is a MODERATE (CVSS 6.5) remote code execution vulnerability (CWE-91: XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection)) affecting Nokogiri libraries in the RubyGems ecosystem. The issue involves xml injection in xerces java affects nokogiri. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.13.4.

GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3 at a Glance

CVE Identifier N/A
GHSA Identifier GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 6.5
CWE Classification CWE-91: XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection)
Affected Product Nokogiri
Package Ecosystem RubyGems
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 6.5

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:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

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

How to Fix GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3

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

nokogiri fixed: 1.13.4 
Upgrade nokogiri to 1.13.4
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 nokogiri

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3, inspect your project dependencies for Nokogiri:

inspect dependencies for nokogiri

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Nokogiri in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.13.4), 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-91: XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection), where the product does not properly neutralize special elements that are used in xml, allowing attackers to modify the syntax, content, or commands of the xml before it is processed by an end system. In Nokogiri, 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

## Summary Nokogiri v1.13.4 updates the vendored `xerces:xercesImpl` from 2.12.0 to 2.12.2, which addresses [CVE-2022-23437](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23437). That CVE is scored as CVSS 6.5 "Medium" on the NVD record. Please note that this advisory only applies to the **JRuby** implementation of Nokogiri `< 1.13.4`. ## Mitigation Upgrade to Nokogiri `>= v1.13.4`. ## Impact ### [CVE-2022-23437](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23437) in xerces-J - **Severity**: Medium - **Type**: [CWE-91](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/91.html) XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection) - **Description**: There's a vulnerability within the Apache Xerces Java (XercesJ) XML parser when handling specially crafted XML document payloads. This causes, the XercesJ XML parser to wait in an infinite loop, which may sometimes consume system resources for prolonged duration. This vulnerability is present within XercesJ version 2.12.1 and the previous versions. - **See also**: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-h65f-jvqw-m9fj

GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3 Affected Nokogiri Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.13.4
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
nokogiri
gem/nokogiri
RubyGems
< 1.13.4
1.13.4

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/sparklemotion/nokogiri/security/advisories/GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3
NVD — GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23437
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-h65f-jvqw-m9fj
Nokogiri Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/sparklemotion/nokogiri
Nokogiri Release RELEASE
https://github.com/sparklemotion/nokogiri/releases/tag/v1.13.4
Nokogiri Security Information SECURITY
https://groups.google.com/g/ruby-security-ann/c/vX7qSjsvWis/m/TJWN4oOKBwAJ?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3?
GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3 is a security vulnerability in Nokogiri involving XML Injection in Xerces Java affects Nokogiri under CWE-91: XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection).
Which Nokogiri versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.13.4 across affected packages: nokogiri.
What version fixes GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3?
Upgrading to 1.13.4 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is nokogiri affected?
Yes, nokogiri is affected in releases prior to 1.13.4. Upgrade your dependency to 1.13.4 or later.
What is the CVSS score of GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3?
GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3?
GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3 is classified under CWE-91: XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection) (The product does not properly neutralize special elements that are used in XML, allowing attackers to modify the syntax, content, or commands of the XML before it is processed by an end system.).
How can I check RubyGems dependencies for GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for nokogiri'. 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-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3",
  "modified" : "2022-04-11T21:30:00Z",
  "published" : "2022-04-11T21:30:00Z",
  "aliases" : [ ],
  "summary" : "XML Injection in Xerces Java affects Nokogiri",
  "details" : "## Summary\n\nNokogiri v1.13.4 updates the vendored `xerces:xercesImpl` from 2.12.0 to 2.12.2, which addresses [CVE-2022-23437](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23437). That CVE is scored as CVSS 6.5 \"Medium\" on the NVD record.\n\nPlease note that this advisory only applies to the **JRuby** implementation of Nokogiri `< 1.13.4`.\n\n## Mitigation\n\nUpgrade to Nokogiri `>= v1.13.4`.\n\n## Impact\n\n### [CVE-2022-23437](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23437) in xerces-J\n\n- **Severity**: Medium\n- **Type**: [CWE-91](https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/91.html) XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection)\n- **Description**: There's a vulnerability within the Apache Xerces Java (XercesJ) XML parser when handling specially crafted XML document payloads. This causes, the XercesJ XML parser to wait in an infinite loop, which may sometimes consume system resources for prolonged duration. This vulnerability is present within XercesJ version 2.12.1 and the previous versions.\n- **See also**: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-h65f-jvqw-m9fj\n\n",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "RubyGems",
      "name" : "nokogiri"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.13.4"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/sparklemotion/nokogiri/security/advisories/GHSA-xxx9-3xcr-gjj3"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23437"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-h65f-jvqw-m9fj"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/sparklemotion/nokogiri"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/sparklemotion/nokogiri/releases/tag/v1.13.4"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://groups.google.com/g/ruby-security-ann/c/vX7qSjsvWis/m/TJWN4oOKBwAJ?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-91" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-04-11T21:30:00Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}