# CVE-2016-0752: Directory traversal vulnerability in Action View in Ruby on Rails

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2016-0752-ruby-on-rails-directory-traversal-vulnerability  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2017-10-24. Updated: 2026-05-10  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2016-0752 · Severity: critical · CVSS 3 · Exploited in the wild · Published 2017-10-24

A directory traversal vulnerability in Action View in Ruby on Rails allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files. The flaw is triggered by an application's unrestricted use of the render method when processing pathnames containing dot-dot (..) sequences.

Technologies: [Rails Ruby on Rails](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/ruby-on-rails), [actionpack (RubyGems)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/actionpack), [actionview (RubyGems)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/actionview). Vendors: [Rails](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/rails), [RubyGems](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/rubygems).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2016-0752 exploited in the wild?** Yes. CVE-2016-0752 is known to be exploited in the wild, first recorded on 25 March 2022. Treat it as urgent.

**How severe is CVE-2016-0752?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 3, published 24 October 2017.

**Which products and versions are affected?** actionpack (RubyGems) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=4.0.0,fixed=4.1.14.1; actionview (RubyGems) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=4.0.0,fixed=4.1.14.1.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2016-0752?** Yes. actionpack (RubyGems): upgrade to 4.1.14.1 or later; actionview (RubyGems): upgrade to 4.1.14.1 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2016-0752 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2016-0752?** Check whether you run Rails Ruby on Rails, actionpack (RubyGems) or actionview (RubyGems) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- actionpack (RubyGems): upgrade to 4.1.14.1 or later

  ```sh
  bundle update actionpack
  ```

- actionview (RubyGems): upgrade to 4.1.14.1 or later

  ```sh
  bundle update actionview
  ```


## Affected products

- Ruby on Rails Rails (Action View) before 3.2.22.1, 4.0.x, 4.1.x before 4.1.14.1, 4.2.x before 4.2.5.1, and 5.x before 5.0.0.beta1.1

## Identifiers

- CVE-2016-0752
- GHSA-xrr4-p6fq-hjg7

## Timeline

- 2016-01-25: disclosed: Initial public disclosure via oss-security mailing list.
- 2022-03-25: kev added: Added to CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog.
- 2022-03-25: exploited: Confirmed as exploited in the wild.

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