Vulnerability in Rails Activestorage
CVE-2026-33173
Active Storage allows users to attach cloud and local files in Rails applications. Prior to versions 8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, and 7.2.3.1, `DirectUploadsController` accepts arbitrary metadata from the client and persists it on the blob. Because internal flags like `identified` and `analyzed` are stored in the same metadata hash, a direct-upload client can set these flags to skip MIME detection and analysis. This allows an attacker to upload arbitrary content while claiming a safe `content_type`, bypassing any validations that rely on Active Storage's automatic content type identification. Versions 8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, and 7.2.3.1 contain a patch.
EPSS: 0.004 (32.2th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 5.3 (Medium). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N.
Affected products
- Rails Activestorage — versions >= 8.1.0.beta1, < 8.1.2.1, >= 8.0.0.beta1, < 8.0.4.1, < 7.2.3.1
- Rubyonrails Rails
Weakness classification (CWE)
References
- security-advisories@github.com (x_refsource_CONFIRM, Vendor Advisory)
- security-advisories@github.com (Patch, x_refsource_MISC)
- security-advisories@github.com (Patch, x_refsource_MISC)
- security-advisories@github.com (Patch, x_refsource_MISC)
- security-advisories@github.com (x_refsource_MISC, Release Notes)
- security-advisories@github.com (x_refsource_MISC, Release Notes)
- security-advisories@github.com (x_refsource_MISC, Release Notes)
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-33173?
- CVE-2026-33173 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Rails Activestorage, classified under CWE-925. CVSS score: 5.3/10. Published 2026-03-24.
- How severe is CVE-2026-33173?
- Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 5.3 out of 10.