CVE-2023-50448: Potential CSV export data leak in activeadmin
Summary
CVE-2023-50448: Potential CSV export data leak. Affects activeadmin versions < 2.12.0. Fixed in 2.12.0. How to fix ↓
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Background
ActiveAdmin is a RubyGem that provides a framework for creating administration-style interfaces for web applications. It simplifies the process of building administrative interfaces by providing a set of pre-built components and tools. ActiveAdmin allows users to export data as CSV files, which can be a convenient feature for data analysis or sharing. However, versions prior to 2.12.0 had a vulnerability that could lead to a potential data leak when exporting CSV files.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in ActiveAdmin versions prior to 2.12.0 was caused by a concurrency issue. The variable holding the collection to be exported was shared across threads without proper synchronization. This allowed a malicious actor, who has access to the same ActiveAdmin application as the victim, to potentially access private data belonging to another user. The attacker could exploit this issue by timing their request immediately before someone else requests a CSV file or by frequently requesting CSV files and hoping for a concurrent request. The impact of this vulnerability is considered high.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 3.5.2 as of 23 Oct 2026
gem install activeadmin -v 3.5.2Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
2.12.0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
gem install activeadmin -v 2.12.0Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no specific workaround mentioned for this vulnerability. The recommended solution is to upgrade to ActiveAdmin version 2.12.0 or above.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in ActiveAdmin versions prior to 2.12.0 could potentially lead to a data leak when exporting CSV files. It is recommended to upgrade to ActiveAdmin version 2.12.0 or above to fix the vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for activeadmin →
FAQ
ActiveAdmin is a RubyGem that provides a framework for creating administration-style interfaces for web applications.
The vulnerability could allow a malicious actor to access potentially private data belonging to another user.
The attacker needs access to the same ActiveAdmin application as the victim and can exploit the issue by timing their request or making frequent requests.
Yes, the vulnerability has been fixed in ActiveAdmin version 2.12.0 and above.
To fix the vulnerability, users should upgrade their ActiveAdmin installation to version 2.12.0 or above.
References
Related vulnerabilities
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