📄 Description (English)
Active Support is a toolkit of support libraries and Ruby core extensions extracted from the Rails framework. Prior to versions 8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, and 7.2.3.1, Active Support number helpers accept strings containing scientific notation (e.g. `1e10000`), which `BigDecimal` expands into extremely large decimal representations. This can cause excessive memory allocation and CPU consumption when the expanded number is formatted, possibly resulting in a DoS vulnerability. Versions 8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, and 7.2.3.1 contain a patch.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2026-33176 is a Denial of Service vulnerability in Ruby on Rails Active Support library affecting versions prior to 8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, and 7.2.3.1. The vulnerability allows attackers to cause excessive memory allocation and CPU consumption by submitting strings with scientific notation to number helpers, potentially crashing affected applications. While no public exploit is available, the vulnerability is easily exploitable and patches are available for all affected versions.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: May 3, 2026 13:57
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability poses significant risk to Saudi organizations using Ruby on Rails applications, particularly: (1) Banking sector (SAMA-regulated institutions) relying on Rails-based financial platforms and payment processing systems; (2) E-commerce and fintech companies processing transactions; (3) Government digital services and portals built with Rails; (4) Telecommunications providers (STC, Mobily) with customer-facing Rails applications; (5) Healthcare providers using Rails-based patient management systems. The DoS impact could disrupt critical services and customer-facing applications during peak usage periods.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking and Financial Services
E-commerce and Fintech
Government and Public Sector
Telecommunications
Healthcare
Retail
Education
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
7.2
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all Ruby on Rails applications in your environment using Active Support versions prior to 8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, or 7.2.3.1
2. Assess exposure: prioritize applications accepting user input for number formatting (financial data, user profiles, forms)
3. Implement input validation to reject scientific notation in number fields (regex: reject patterns like /\d+e\d+/i)
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Update Rails to patched versions: 8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, or 7.2.3.1 immediately
2. Test patches in staging environment before production deployment
3. Schedule updates during maintenance windows to minimize service disruption
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if immediate patching not possible):
1. Implement WAF rules to block requests containing scientific notation in number parameters
2. Add application-level input validation: sanitize and reject scientific notation before passing to number helpers
3. Implement rate limiting on number formatting endpoints
4. Monitor for unusual CPU and memory spikes
DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor application logs for requests containing patterns: /1e\d+/, /\d+e[+-]?\d+/
2. Alert on sudden CPU/memory spikes correlating with number formatting operations
3. Track failed number formatting operations in application error logs
4. Monitor BigDecimal expansion operations for unusually large values
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. حدد جميع تطبيقات Ruby on Rails في بيئتك التي تستخدم إصدارات Active Support السابقة للإصدارات 8.1.2.1 و 8.0.4.1 و 7.2.3.1
2. قيّم التعرض: أعط الأولوية للتطبيقات التي تقبل إدخال المستخدم لتنسيق الأرقام (البيانات المالية وملفات المستخدمين والنماذج)
3. تطبيق التحقق من صحة الإدخال لرفض الترميز العلمي في حقول الأرقام
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. قم بتحديث Rails إلى الإصدارات المصححة: 8.1.2.1 أو 8.0.4.1 أو 7.2.3.1 فوراً
2. اختبر التصحيحات في بيئة التجريب قبل نشر الإنتاج
3. جدول التحديثات خلال نوافذ الصيانة لتقليل انقطاع الخدمة
الضوابط البديلة (إذا لم يكن التصحيح الفوري ممكناً):
1. تطبيق قواعد جدار الحماية لحجب الطلبات التي تحتوي على ترميز علمي في معاملات الأرقام
2. إضافة التحقق من صحة الإدخال على مستوى التطبيق: تنظيف ورفض الترميز العلمي قبل تمريره إلى مساعدات الأرقام
3. تطبيق تحديد معدل على نقاط نهاية تنسيق الأرقام
4. مراقبة ارتفاعات وحدة المعالجة المركزية والذاكرة غير العادية
قواعد الكشف:
1. مراقبة سجلات التطبيق للطلبات التي تحتوي على أنماط: /1e\d+/, /\d+e[+-]?\d+/
2. تنبيه على ارتفاعات وحدة المعالجة المركزية والذاكرة المفاجئة المرتبطة بعمليات تنسيق الأرقام
3. تتبع عمليات تنسيق الأرقام الفاشلة في سجلات أخطاء التطبيق
4. مراقبة عمليات توسيع BigDecimal للقيم الكبيرة بشكل غير عادي
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
ECC 2024 A.14.2.1 - Secure development policy
ECC 2024 A.12.2.1 - Change management procedures
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.RA-1 - Asset management and vulnerability identification
SAMA CSF PR.IP-12 - Software development and acquisition security
SAMA CSF DE.CM-8 - Vulnerability scans and assessments
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
ISO 27001:2022 A.14.2.1 - Secure development policy
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.2.1 - Change management
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
PCI DSS 6.2 - Ensure security patches are installed
PCI DSS 6.3.1 - Identify and assess vulnerabilities
PCI DSS 11.2 - Perform vulnerability scans
🔗 References & Sources 7
🔗
https://github.com/rails/rails/commit/19dbab51ca086a657bb86458042bc44314916bcb
security-advisories@github.com
Patch
🔗
https://github.com/rails/rails/commit/ebd6be18120d1136511eb516338e27af25ac0a1a
security-advisories@github.com
Patch
🔗
https://github.com/rails/rails/commit/ee2c59e730e5b8faed502cd2c573109df093f856
security-advisories@github.com
Patch
🔗
https://github.com/rails/rails/releases/tag/v7.2.3.1
security-advisories@github.com
Release Notes
🔗
https://github.com/rails/rails/releases/tag/v8.0.4.1
security-advisories@github.com
Release Notes
🔗
https://github.com/rails/rails/releases/tag/v8.1.2.1
security-advisories@github.com
Release Notes
🔗
https://github.com/rails/rails/security/advisories/GHSA-2j26-frm8-cmj9
security-advisories@github.com
Vendor Advisory
📦 Affected Products / CPE 3 entries
rubyonrails:rails
rubyonrails:rails
rubyonrails:rails