CVE-2009-4492

WEBrick 1.3.1 - Terminal Emulator Escape Sequence Injection via HTTP Request

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2009-4492. PoCs published by evilaliv3.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages a command injection vulnerability in Ruby WEBrick's logging mechanism by sending a crafted HTTP request containing escape sequences that execute arbitrary commands in the terminal. The example demonstrates launching an xterm with a reverse shell payload.

Description

WEBrick 1.3.1 in Ruby 1.8.6 through patchlevel 383, 1.8.7 through patchlevel 248, 1.8.8dev, 1.9.1 through patchlevel 376, and 1.9.2dev writes data to a log file without sanitizing non-printable characters, which might allow remote attackers to modify a window's title, or possibly execute arbitrary commands or overwrite files, via an HTTP request containing an escape sequence for a terminal emulator.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by evilaliv3 · textremotemultiple
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/33489

This exploit leverages a command injection vulnerability in Ruby WEBrick's logging mechanism by sending a crafted HTTP request containing escape sequences that execute arbitrary commands in the terminal. The example demonstrates launching an xterm with a reverse shell payload.

Classification
Working Poc 90%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Ruby WEBrick (versions prior to 1.8.6p388, 1.8.7p249, 1.9.1p378)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Network access to the target WEBrick server · Ruby WEBrick server running with vulnerable version
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (9)

Core 9
Core References
Permissions Required vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/0089
Broken Link, Exploit x_refsource_misc
http://www.ush.it/team/ush/hack_httpd_escape/adv.txt
Broken Link, Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/37710
Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/508830/100/0/threaded
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2011-0909.html
Not Applicable, Vendor Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/37949
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2011-0908.html
Broken Link, Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_sectrack
http://securitytracker.com/id?1023429

Scores

EPSS 0.2110
EPSS Percentile 95.8%

Details

Status published
Products (2)
ruby-lang/webrick 1.3.1
rubygems/webrick 0 - 1.4.0RubyGems
Published Jan 13, 2010
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026