Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
TZInfo, a Ruby time zone library, could be tricked into loading unintended Ruby files when vulnerable versions process malformed time zone identifiers. If an application accepts untrusted time zone input, this can expose the Ruby process to arbitrary code execution under specific conditions.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority dependency fix for Ruby systems that accept user-selected time zones. It is not confirmed as actively exploited in the supplied sources, but the potential impact includes code execution inside an application process.
Technical view
Affected TZInfo versions fail to validate time zone identifiers correctly, allowing newline characters. With the Ruby data source, time zone definitions are loaded on demand via Ruby require, so malformed identifiers can cause unintended files to load and execute inside the process.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely in Ruby applications using tzinfo versions below 0.3.61 or 1.0.0 through below 1.2.10 with tzinfo-data, especially where user-controlled time zone identifiers reach TZInfo::Timezone.get.
Exploitation context
The bundle reports no CISA KEV listing and does not cite active exploitation. Practical risk depends on vulnerable TZInfo use, attacker-influenced time zone identifiers, and load-path conditions that allow an unintended Ruby file to be loaded.
Researcher notes
The key condition is identifier validation failure before Ruby require loads time zone definition files. Version 0.3.61 fixes validation but still requires care with load-path hygiene for valid-looking paths under tzinfo/definition.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade TZInfo to 0.3.61, 1.2.10, or a non-vulnerable 2.x release.
- Apply relevant operating-system package updates where TZInfo is supplied by the distribution.
- Validate time zone identifiers before passing them to TZInfo::Timezone.get.
- Keep untrusted files out of directories on the Ruby load path.
- Review vendor guidance before relying on any workaround.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Ruby dependency manifests and runtime gem versions for affected TZInfo ranges.
- Confirm whether vulnerable 1.x deployments use the Ruby data source tzinfo-data.
- Trace application paths where user input becomes a time zone identifier.
- Check whether Ruby load-path directories can contain untrusted files.
- Verify patched versions reject invalid time zone identifiers in regression tests.
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
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ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CWE-22: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. 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 lookupCWE-23: File access and web shell behavior lookup
File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. 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 lookupFile access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-31163 mapping review
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Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.5 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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 vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.65.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.5HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/tzinfo/tzinfo/security/advisories/GHSA-5cm2-9h8c-rvfxCVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://github.com/tzinfo/tzinfo/releases/tag/v0.3.61CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/tzinfo/tzinfo/releases/tag/v1.2.10CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/tzinfo/tzinfo/commit/9eddbb5c0e682736f61d0dd803b6031a5db9eadfCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://github.com/tzinfo/tzinfo/commit/9905ca93abf7bf3e387bd592406e403cd18334c7CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- [debian-lts-announce] 20220818 [SECURITY] [DLA 3077-1] ruby-tzinfo security updateCVE reference · mailing-list, x_refsource_MLIST
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/09/msg00008.htmlCVE reference
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.
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.
Relative Path Traversal
Relative Path Traversal represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.
