CVE-2013-2513
📋 TL;DR
The flash_tool gem for Ruby versions through 0.6.0 contains a command injection vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the system. This occurs when shell metacharacters are included in downloaded file names, which are passed unsanitized to system commands. Any Ruby application using vulnerable versions of this gem is affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- flash_tool Ruby gem
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full system compromise with remote code execution leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, or complete system takeover.
Likely Case
Arbitrary command execution with the privileges of the Ruby process, potentially leading to data exfiltration or lateral movement.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper input validation and sandboxing are implemented, though the vulnerability still exists.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation is straightforward as it involves injecting shell metacharacters into file names that get passed to system() calls.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 0.6.1
Vendor Advisory: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-6325-6g32-7p35
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Gemfile to specify 'gem "flash_tool", ">= 0.6.1"'. 2. Run 'bundle update flash_tool'. 3. Restart the Ruby application.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Input Sanitization
allImplement strict input validation to reject file names containing shell metacharacters before passing to flash_tool.
Sandbox Execution
allRun the Ruby application with minimal privileges and in a restricted environment.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Remove or disable the flash_tool gem functionality entirely.
- Implement network segmentation to isolate vulnerable systems from critical assets.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Gemfile.lock or run 'bundle show flash_tool' to see installed version.Check Version:
bundle show flash_tool | grep -o 'flash_tool.*'Verify Fix Applied:
Confirm flash_tool version is 0.6.1 or higher using 'bundle show flash_tool'.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual system commands executed from Ruby process
- File download attempts with suspicious characters in names
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from Ruby process to unexpected destinations
SIEM Query:
process:ruby AND cmdline:*flash_tool* AND (cmdline:*;* OR cmdline:*&* OR cmdline:*|*)