CVE-2008-3790

CVE-2008-3790 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Ruby-lang Ruby with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 15% places it in the 96th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

Description

The REXML module in Ruby 1.8.6 through 1.8.6-p287, 1.8.7 through 1.8.7-p72, and 1.9 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via an XML document with recursively nested entities, aka an "XML entity explosion."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-3790?
The REXML module in Ruby 1.8.6 through 1.8.6-p287, 1.8.7 through 1.8.7-p72, and 1.9 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via an XML document with recursively nested entities, aka an "XML entity explosion."
How severe is CVE-2008-3790?
CVE-2008-3790 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2008-3790 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 15% (96th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2008-3790?
CVE-2008-3790 primarily affects Ruby-lang Ruby. In total, 21 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2008-3790?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2008-3790 published?
CVE-2008-3790 was published on 2008-08-27 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (21)

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