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CVE Record

CVE-2018-8779: In Ruby before 2.2.10, 2.3.x before 2.3.7, 2.4.x before 2.4.4, 2.5.x before 2.5.1, and 2.6.0-preview1, the...

In Ruby before 2.2.10, 2.3.x before 2.3.7, 2.4.x before 2.4.4, 2.5.x before 2.5.1, and 2.6.0-preview1, the UNIXServer.open and UNIXSocket.open methods are not checked for null characters. It may be connected to an unintended socket.

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a Ruby input-validation flaw. Older Ruby versions failed to reject null characters in UNIXSocket.open and UNIXServer.open paths, which could make an application connect to a different Unix socket than intended. Business risk depends on whether applications pass user-influenced socket paths into those APIs.

Executive priority

Treat this as a targeted legacy-runtime remediation item, not an emergency based on current evidence. Prioritize internet-facing, multi-tenant, or privileged Ruby applications where socket paths are externally influenced.

Technical view

Ruby before 2.2.10, 2.3.7, 2.4.4, 2.5.1, and 2.6.0-preview1 did not check NUL bytes in UNIXServer.open and UNIXSocket.open. The reported impact is connection to an unintended socket. The sources do not provide CVSS, CWE, exploitability details, or proof of active exploitation.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely in legacy Ruby services, scripts, or bundled appliances using vulnerable Ruby versions and Unix-domain socket APIs. Risk is higher when socket path input can be influenced by users, tenants, configuration files, or upstream services.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or any cited active exploitation. Practical exploitation appears context-dependent because an attacker would need a vulnerable Ruby runtime and a code path that passes attacker-influenced socket paths to the affected APIs.

Researcher notes

The public description is narrow: missing NUL-character checks in two Ruby Unix socket methods. The CVE record does not identify CVSS, CWE, or exploit primitives beyond unintended socket connection. Avoid broad claims without application-specific data-flow review.

Mitigation direction

  • Upgrade Ruby to a fixed version listed by the Ruby advisory.
  • Apply relevant vendor security updates from Red Hat, Ubuntu, Debian, or SUSE.
  • Prioritize systems running unsupported Ruby branches or distro-packaged Ruby from 2018-era baselines.
  • Review applications that accept or derive Unix socket paths from external input.
  • If upgrade timing is constrained, check vendor guidance for supported compensating controls.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm each Ruby runtime version against the fixed version thresholds.
  • Check package manager security advisories for applied Ruby update status.
  • Search application code review records for UNIXSocket.open and UNIXServer.open usage.
  • Verify whether socket path inputs can be user-controlled or configuration-controlled.
  • Track remediation evidence in asset inventory and vulnerability management records.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
10

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

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CVE-2018-8779 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

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.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
15Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/an/an/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.