Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is an old Rails cross-site scripting flaw in the auto_link helper before Rails 3.0.6. If a legacy application uses affected Rails code to display user-controlled text, a user’s browser could run unintended script. The provided sources do not show active exploitation or a CVSS score.
Executive priority
Treat this as a legacy-application hygiene issue, not an emergency unless exposed Rails applications still run pre-3.0.6 code. Prioritize inventory and upgrade validation for internet-facing systems.
Technical view
CVE-2011-1497 is a CWE-79 issue in Rails actionpack auto_link before version 3.0.6. The vulnerability concerns unsafe link generation from content rendered by applications. Source detail is limited; the bundle identifies the component and fixed boundary but does not include exploit status, CVSS, or detailed patch mechanics.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in legacy Rails applications running versions before 3.0.6 and using auto_link on untrusted or user-supplied content. Modern Rails deployments are unlikely to be affected unless they carry old vendored code or backported helpers.
Exploitation context
The source bundle does not cite active exploitation, and the CVE is not marked KEV. The realistic concern is browser-side script execution through application pages that render attacker-controlled content with the vulnerable helper.
Researcher notes
The evidence identifies Rails auto_link and the pre-3.0.6 boundary, but does not provide CVSS, exploit telemetry, or detailed affected CPEs. Avoid assuming impact beyond applications that render untrusted content through the vulnerable helper.
Mitigation direction
- Confirm whether any deployed application runs Rails before 3.0.6.
- Upgrade affected Rails installations to 3.0.6 or later where applicable.
- Review vendor changelog and CVE references for patch applicability.
- Reduce or remove auto_link use on untrusted content until patched.
- Add regression tests for escaping around auto_link-rendered user content.
Validation and detection
- Check Gemfile.lock and deployed artifacts for Rails version evidence.
- Search application code for auto_link helper usage.
- Trace whether user-controlled content reaches auto_link output.
- Verify patched environments no longer use vulnerable Rails versions.
- Confirm no public routes render untrusted auto_link content.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-79: User-session and phishing behavior lookup
Client-side and session-facing weaknesses should be reviewed alongside initial-access and user-execution behaviors. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2011-1497 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/04/06/13CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/rails/rails/blob/38df020c95beca7e12f0188cb7e18f3c37789e20/actionpack/CHANGELOGCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.