CVE-2021-43809
MEDIUMEPSS 85th pctlDescription
`Bundler` is a package for managing application dependencies in Ruby. In `bundler` versions before 2.2.33, when working with untrusted and apparently harmless `Gemfile`'s, it is not expected that they lead to execution of external code, unless that's explicit in the ruby code inside the `Gemfile` itself. However, if the `Gemfile` includes `gem` entries that use the `git` option with invalid, but seemingly harmless, values with a leading dash, this can be false. To handle dependencies that come from a Git repository instead of a registry, Bundler uses various commands, such as `git clone`. These commands are being constructed using user input (e.g. the repository URL). When building the commands, Bundler versions before 2.2.33 correctly avoid Command Injection vulnerabilities by passing an array of arguments instead of a command string. However, there is the possibility that a user input starts with a dash (`-`) and is therefore treated as an optional argument instead of a positional one. This can lead to Code Execution because some of the commands have options that can be leveraged to run arbitrary executables. Since this value comes from the `Gemfile` file, it can contain any character, including a leading dash. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker has to craft a directory containing a `Gemfile` file that declares a dependency that is located in a Git repository. This dependency has to have a Git URL in the form of `-u./payload`. This URL will be used to construct a Git clone command but will be interpreted as the upload-pack argument. Then this directory needs to be shared with the victim, who then needs to run a command that evaluates the Gemfile, such as `bundle lock`, inside. This vulnerability can lead to Arbitrary Code Execution, which could potentially lead to the takeover of the system. However, the exploitability is very low, because it requires a lot of user interaction. Bundler 2.2.33 has patched this problem by inserting `--` as an argument before any positional arguments to those Git commands that were affected by this issue. Regardless of whether users can upgrade or not, they should review any untrustred `Gemfile`'s before running any `bundler` commands that may read them, since they can contain arbitrary ruby code.
How to fix
This vulnerability affects an unusually large number of packages. The highest-confidence fixes are shown above; the full list is longer. Check the referenced advisories for complete coverage.
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Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Elevated risk: more likely to be exploited than 85% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-88 vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2016-10033 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2022-36804 | High | 8.8 | 99% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2026-24061 | Critical | 9.8 | 98% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2007-0882 | High | 10.0 | 98% | - | - |
| CVE-2018-17456 | Critical | 9.8 | 97% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2018-19518 | High | 7.5 | 95% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2021-43809?
Published advisories record a fix for 93 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2021-43809 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2021-43809 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 2.8% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 85% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2021-43809?
CVE-2021-43809 has a CVSS v3 base score of 6.7, rated medium. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2021-43809 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for rubygems (Debian), ruby (Red Hat / RHEL), ruby (Rocky), ruby-debuginfo (Rocky), and 89 more. Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2025-11-03.