How severe is CVE-2016-2097?

CVE-2016-2097 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2016-2097 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-2097?

CVE-2016-2097 primarily affects Rubyonrails Rails. In total, 51 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-2097?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2016-2097 published?

CVE-2016-2097 was published on 2016-04-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-2097

CVE-2016-2097 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Rubyonrails Rails with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-22.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.3)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (91st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-22
Affected product: Rubyonrails Rails
Published: 2016-04-07
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Directory traversal vulnerability in Action View in Ruby on Rails before 3.2.22.2 and 4.x before 4.1.14.2 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files by leveraging an application's unrestricted use of the render method and providing a .. (dot dot) in a pathname. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2016-0752.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-2097?: Directory traversal vulnerability in Action View in Ruby on Rails before 3.2.22.2 and 4.x before 4.1.14.2 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files by leveraging an application's unrestricted use of the render method and providing a .. (dot dot) in a pathname. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2016-0752.
How severe is CVE-2016-2097?: CVE-2016-2097 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2016-2097 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-2097?: CVE-2016-2097 primarily affects Rubyonrails Rails. In total, 51 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-2097?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2016-2097 published?: CVE-2016-2097 was published on 2016-04-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (51)

cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.0:beta:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.1:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.1:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.1:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.1:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.4:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.6:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.6:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.6:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.0.10:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.2:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.2:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.2:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.6:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.6:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:rubyonrails:rails:4.1.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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