CVE-2013-0263 — rack
Fix: rack/rack@0cd7e9aCVE-2013-0263 is a remote code execution vulnerability in rack. A fix is available for rack — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Rack arbitrary code execution via timing attack
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
rack💎rack💎rack💎rack💎rackReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects RubyGems packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Rack::Session::Cookie in Rack 1.5.x before 1.5.2, 1.4.x before 1.4.5, 1.3.x before 1.3.10, 1.2.x before 1.2.8, and 1.1.x before 1.1.6 allows remote attackers to guess the session cookie, gain privileges, and execute arbitrary code via a timing attack involving an HMAC comparison function that does not run in constant time.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💎RubyGems | rack | ≥ 1.5.0&&< 1.5.2 | 1.5.2bundle update rack --conservative |
| 💎RubyGems | rack | ≥ 1.4.0&&< 1.4.5 | 1.4.5bundle update rack --conservative |
| 💎RubyGems | rack | ≥ 1.3.0&&< 1.3.10 | 1.3.10bundle update rack --conservative |
| 💎RubyGems | rack | ≥ 1.2.0&&< 1.2.8 | 1.2.8bundle update rack --conservative |
| 💎RubyGems | rack | ≥ 1.1.0&&< 1.1.6 | 1.1.6bundle update rack --conservative |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for rack, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update rack to 1.5.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2013-0263 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2013-0263 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2013-0263. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Subscription Asset Manager 1.2 | candlepin-0:0.7.24-1.el6_3 | RHSA-2013:0686 |
| RHEL 6 Version of OpenShift Enterprise | jenkins-0:1.502-1.el6op | RHSA-2013:0638 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2013-0263 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2013-0263 across RubyGems dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.