CVE-2019-5418 Rails Ruby on Rails: file path flaw
In plain words: The program can be tricked into reading or writing files outside the folder it should stay in. Leaks files such as passwords and settings, or overwrites important ones.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Jul 28, 2025
What to do
- Install Rails's security update for Ruby on Rails. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
- Never expose the device's admin page to the internet.
- After patching a device that was exposed, follow the vendor's compromise checks, end active sessions and change passwords.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: They face the internet and guard the whole network, so a flaw here can hand attackers a way in — and these devices usually run no antivirus, so break-ins go unnoticed.
The details
- Official name
- Rails Ruby on Rails Path Traversal Vulnerability
- Product
- Rails Ruby on Rails
- CISA description
- Rails Ruby on Rails contains a path traversal vulnerability in Action View. Specially crafted accept headers in combination with calls to `render file:` can cause arbitrary files on the target server to be rendered, disclosing the file contents.
- Type of flaw
- File path flaw (CWE-22)
- Confirmed exploited
- Jul 7, 2025
- US federal patch deadline
- Jul 28, 2025
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Answering about CVE-2019-5418 ·
Questions about CVE-2019-5418
Is CVE-2019-5418 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2019-5418 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Jul 7, 2025, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2019-5418?
Install Rails's security update for Ruby on Rails. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Patch edge devices first — attackers often start scanning for them within hours of a fix.
Am I affected by CVE-2019-5418?
Only if you use Rails Ruby on Rails. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.