CVE-2013-1856
activesupport Improper Input Validation vulnerability
The ActiveSupport::XmlMini_JDOM backend in lib/active_support/xml_mini/jdom.rb in the Active Support component in Ruby on Rails 3.0.x and 3.1.x before 3.1.12 and 3.2.x before 3.2.13, when JRuby is used, does not properly restrict the capabilities of the XML parser, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via vectors involving (1) an external DTD or (2) an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference.
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
The ActiveSupport::XmlMini_JDOM backend in lib/active_support/xml_mini/jdom.rb in the Active Support component in Ruby on Rails 3.0.x and 3.1.x before 3.1.12 and 3.2.x before 3.2.13, when JRuby is used, does not properly restrict the capabilities of the XML parser, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via vectors involving (1) an external DTD or (2) an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference.
- Record
CVE-2013-1856- CVSS 2.0
- 5.8 Medium
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
The ActiveSupport::XmlMini_JDOM backend in lib/active_support/xml_mini/jdom.rb in the Active Support component in Ruby on Rails 3.0.x and 3.1.x before 3.1.12 and 3.2.x before 3.2.13, when JRuby is used, does not properly restrict the capabilities of the XML parser, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via vectors involving (1) an external DTD or (2) an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference.
- Record
CVE-2013-1856- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2017-0202 No score
The ActiveSupport::XmlMini_JDOM backend in lib/active_support/xml_mini/jdom.rb in the Active Support component in Ruby on Rails 3.0.x and 3.1.x before 3.1.12 and 3.2.x before 3.2.13, when JRuby is used, does not properly restrict the capabilities of the XML parser, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via vectors involving (1) an external DTD or (2) an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference.
- Record
EUVD-2017-0202- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-9c2j-593q-3g82 No score
activesupport Improper Input Validation vulnerability
The ActiveSupport::XmlMini_JDOM backend in lib/active_support/xml_mini/jdom.rb in the Active Support component in Ruby on Rails 3.0.x and 3.1.x before 3.1.12 and 3.2.x before 3.2.13, when JRuby is used, does not properly restrict the capabilities of the XML parser, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via vectors involving (1) an external DTD or (2) an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference.
- Record
GHSA-9c2j-593q-3g82- Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-9c2j-593q-3g82 No score
activesupport Improper Input Validation vulnerability
The ActiveSupport::XmlMini_JDOM backend in lib/active_support/xml_mini/jdom.rb in the Active Support component in Ruby on Rails 3.0.x and 3.1.x before 3.1.12 and 3.2.x before 3.2.13, when JRuby is used, does not properly restrict the capabilities of the XML parser, which allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files or cause a denial of service (resource consumption) via vectors involving (1) an external DTD or (2) an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference.
- Record
GHSA-9c2j-593q-3g82- Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
activesupportRubyGems |
3.0.0 up to 3.1.12 | 3.1.12 |
activesupportRubyGems |
3.2.0 up to 3.2.13 | 3.2.13 |
activesupportRubyGems |
3.0.0 up to 3.1.12, plus listed versions 3.0.13.0.103.0.10.rc13.0.113.0.12 Show 45 moreShow less3.0.12.rc13.0.133.0.13.rc13.0.143.0.153.0.163.0.173.0.183.0.193.0.23.0.203.0.33.0.43.0.4.rc13.0.53.0.5.rc13.0.63.0.6.rc13.0.6.rc23.0.73.0.7.rc13.0.7.rc23.0.83.0.8.rc13.0.8.rc23.0.8.rc43.0.93.0.9.rc13.0.9.rc33.0.9.rc43.0.9.rc53.1.03.1.0.beta13.1.0.rc13.1.0.rc23.1.0.rc33.1.0.rc43.1.0.rc53.1.0.rc63.1.0.rc83.1.13.1.1.rc13.1.1.rc23.1.1.rc33.1.10 |
3.1.12 |
activesupportRubyGems |
3.2.0 up to 3.2.13, plus listed versions 3.2.13.2.103.2.113.2.123.2.13.rc1 Show 19 moreShow less3.2.13.rc23.2.23.2.2.rc13.2.33.2.3.rc13.2.3.rc23.2.43.2.4.rc13.2.53.2.63.2.73.2.7.rc13.2.83.2.8.rc13.2.8.rc23.2.93.2.9.rc13.2.9.rc23.2.9.rc3 |
3.2.13 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2013-1856 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.8) in Rubyonrails Rails, published March 19, 2013. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 2.05%, the 81st percentile. Fixed in activesupport 3.1.12.
References
lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2013/Oct/msg00006.html
support.apple.com/kb/HT5784
groups.google.com/group/rubyonrails-security/msg/6c2482d4ed1545e6?dmode=source&output=gplain
weblog.rubyonrails.org/2013/3/18/SEC-ANN-Rails-3-2-13-3-1-12-and-2-3-18-have-been-released
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-1856
Show 5 moreShow less
web.archive.org/web/20130609174600/http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2013/Jun/msg00000.html
github.com/rubysec/ruby-advisory-db/blob/master/gems/activesupport/CVE-2013-1856.yml
Left out here: 13 versions. The JSON record has them.