ruby: heap buffer overflow in the Psych::Emitter start_document function
Published Feb 14, 2020
9.8
CRITICALCVSS 3.1
EPSS 4.68%
Description
An exploitable heap overflow vulnerability exists in the Psych::Emitter start_document function of Ruby. In Psych::Emitter start_document function heap buffer "head" allocation is made based on tags array length. Specially constructed object passed as element of tags array can increase this array size after mentioned allocation and cause heap overflow.
Affected products
No data.
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
ruby
Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
ruby
Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
ruby:2.5/ruby
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
ruby:2.7/ruby
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
ruby:3.0/ruby
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
ruby:3.1/ruby
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
ruby
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
ruby:3.1/ruby
Not affected
Red Hat Software Collections
rh-ruby27-ruby
Not affected
Red Hat Software Collections
rh-ruby30-ruby
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | ruby | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | ruby | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | ruby:2.5/ruby | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | ruby:2.7/ruby | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | ruby:3.0/ruby | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | ruby:3.1/ruby | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | ruby | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | ruby:3.1/ruby | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Software Collections | rh-ruby27-ruby | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Software Collections | rh-ruby30-ruby | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v2.0 score for this CVE.
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 (27 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 4.68% (0.04682) | 91.49th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 4.64% (0.04644) | 90.52th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Feb 1, 2026 | 13.46% (0.13462) | 94.05th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 4, 2025 | 15.05% (0.15046) | 94.32th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 1, 2025 | 10.70% (0.10698) | 93.07th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Sep 21, 2025 | 9.62% (0.09624) | 92.60th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jun 19, 2025 | 11.84% (0.11844) | 93.37th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 9.69% (0.09690) | 92.16th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 35.23% (0.35228) | 95.43th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 28, 2025 | 9.69% (0.09690) | 92.17th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 27, 2025 | 35.23% (0.35228) | 96.49th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 20, 2025 | 22.66% (0.22657) | 95.41th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 19, 2025 | 35.23% (0.35228) | 96.55th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 22.66% (0.22657) | 95.40th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.86% (0.00861) | 83.01th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Apr 4, 2024 | 0.86% (0.00861) | 81.99th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 19, 2023 | 0.86% (0.00861) | 79.98th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 8, 2023 | 0.71% (0.00714) | 77.60th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.58% (0.00582) | 74.77th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 12.49% (0.12492) | 95.36th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Dec 29, 2022 | 12.49% (0.12492) | 95.19th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Dec 20, 2022 | 9.03% (0.09029) | 94.01th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 30, 2022 | 0.89% (0.00885) | 26.46th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 29, 2022 | 0.95% (0.00954) | 34.83th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 10, 2022 | 0.89% (0.00885) | 26.24th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 0.89% (0.00885) | 24.24th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 0.89% (0.00885) | 10.50th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (7)
- http://www.talosintelligence.com/reports/TALOS-2016-0032/ ExploitThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-2338 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2133689 Issue Tracking
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/03/msg00032.html mailing-listMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2338
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20221228-0005/ Third Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-2338
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://www.talosintelligence.com/reports/TALOS-2016-0032/ | ExploitThird Party Advisory | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-2338 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2133689 | Issue Tracking | |
| https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/03/msg00032.html | mailing-listMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2338 | ||
| https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20221228-0005/ | Third Party Advisory | |
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-2338 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.