CVE-2008-3790

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2008-3790. PoCs published by Luka Treiber.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit demonstrates a denial-of-service vulnerability in Ruby's REXML module by using recursive XML entity expansion to exhaust system resources. The PoC constructs a maliciously crafted XML document with deeply nested entity references, causing excessive memory consumption when parsed.

Description

The REXML module in Ruby 1.8.6 through 1.8.6-p287, 1.8.7 through 1.8.7-p72, and 1.9 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via an XML document with recursively nested entities, aka an "XML entity explosion."

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED

by Luka Treiber · rubydoslinux

https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/32292

View Code ZIP pw:eip

This exploit demonstrates a denial-of-service vulnerability in Ruby's REXML module by using recursive XML entity expansion to exhaust system resources. The PoC constructs a maliciously crafted XML document with deeply nested entity references, causing excessive memory consumption when parsed.

Classification

Working Poc 100%

Attack Type

Dos

Complexity

Trivial

Reliability

Reliable

Target: Ruby (REXML module) up to and including 1.9.0-3

No auth needed

Prerequisites: Target application must parse attacker-controlled XML input using REXML

MITRE ATT&CK

T1499 - Endpoint Denial of Service

devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (35)

Core 35

Core References

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

https://usn.ubuntu.com/651-1/

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/33185

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry signature x_refsource_oval

https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A10393

Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3549

Patch x_refsource_confirm

http://www.ruby-lang.org/security/20080823rexml/rexml-expansion-fix.rb

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_sectrack

http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1020735

Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_debian

http://www.debian.org/security/2008/dsa-1652

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_fedora

https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2008-October/msg00299.html

Third Party Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen

http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2428

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_xf

https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/44628

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/35074

Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/08/26/4

Various Sources x_refsource_confirm

http://weblog.rubyonrails.org/2008/9/3/rails-2-0-4-maintenance-release

Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm

http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2008-424.htm

Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_debian

http://www.debian.org/security/2008/dsa-1651

Mailing List vendor-advisory x_refsource_apple

http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2009/May/msg00002.html

Exploit, Patch x_refsource_confirm

http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2008/08/23/dos-vulnerability-in-rexml/

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat

http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0897.html

Mailing List x_refsource_misc

http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.ruby/browse_thread/thread/19f69e8a081fc0d1/e138e014b74352ca

Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/08/25/4

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/32219

US Government Resource third-party-advisory x_refsource_cert

http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-133A.html

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/32255

Third Party Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen

http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1297

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/30802

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

https://usn.ubuntu.com/691-1/

Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/08/26/1

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/32371

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/32165

Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_gentoo

http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200812-17.xml

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/33178

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_fedora

https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2008-October/msg00259.html

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/32256

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/31602

Third Party Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen

http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2483

Ruby 1.8.6-1.8.6-p287, 1.8.7-1.8.7-p72, 1.9 - Denial of Service via XML Entity Expansion

Exploitation Summary

Description

Exploits (1)

References (35)

Scores

Details