ruby: Heap-based buffer overflow in the rb_str_justify() function
Published Dec 11, 2009
10.0
HIGHCVSS 2.0
EPSS 3.88%
Description
Heap-based buffer overflow in the rb_str_justify function in string.c in Ruby 1.9.1 before 1.9.1-p376 allows context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors involving (1) String#ljust, (2) String#center, or (3) String#rjust. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information.
Affected products
No data.
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
ruby
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
ruby
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | ruby | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | ruby | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
Not vulnerable. This issue did not affect the versions of ruby as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and 6 as it did not affect the Ruby 1.8 series.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2022–2026- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (12 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 3.88% (0.03875) | 89.88th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 3.88% (0.03875) | 88.81th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 2.76% (0.02761) | 84.74th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 7.08% (0.07079) | 85.53th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 2.76% (0.02761) | 85.06th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 1.16% (0.01158) | 85.51th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 10, 2024 | 1.16% (0.01158) | 84.88th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 3, 2024 | 1.29% (0.01286) | 85.68th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 1.29% (0.01286) | 83.66th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 3.21% (0.03214) | 84.13th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 3.21% (0.03214) | 82.52th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 3.21% (0.03214) | 65.20th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (10)
- http://secunia.com/advisories/37660 third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAVendor Advisory
- http://www.osvdb.org/60880 vdb-entryx_refsource_OSVDB
- http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2009/12/07/heap-overflow-in-string/ x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchVendor Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/37278 vdb-entryx_refsource_BID
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/3471 vdb-entryx_refsource_VUPENVendor Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2009-4124 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=959916 Issue Tracking
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/54674 vdb-entryx_refsource_XF
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-4124
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-4124
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://secunia.com/advisories/37660 | third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAVendor Advisory | |
| http://www.osvdb.org/60880 | vdb-entryx_refsource_OSVDB | |
| http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/news/2009/12/07/heap-overflow-in-string/ | x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchVendor Advisory | |
| http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/37278 | vdb-entryx_refsource_BID | |
| http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/3471 | vdb-entryx_refsource_VUPENVendor Advisory | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2009-4124 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=959916 | Issue Tracking | |
| https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/54674 | vdb-entryx_refsource_XF | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-4124 | ||
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-4124 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.