CVE-2019-10780Network attack vector

Shell command execution via pipe-prefixed path

Published Jan 22, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

OS command injection in BibTeX-Ruby before 5.1.0 allows attackers to execute shell commands through a crafted bibliography path. BibTeX.open passes the path directly to Kernel.open, which interprets a leading pipe as a command instead of treating the value only as a file path. Exploitation requires an application to pass an attacker-controlled path to BibTeX.open, and commands run with the privileges of the hosting Ruby process.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability2.81%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

OS command injection in BibTeX-Ruby before 5.1.0 allows attackers to execute shell commands through a crafted bibliography path. BibTeX.open passes the path directly to Kernel.open, which interprets a leading pipe as a command instead of treating the value only as a file path. Exploitation requires an application to pass an attacker-controlled path to BibTeX.open, and commands run with the privileges of the hosting Ruby process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-10780
Published
Jan 22, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Sylvester Keil
Product
BibTeX-Ruby
Classifications
CWE-78, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 22, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=All versions prior to version 5.1.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Sylvester Keil · BibTeX-Rubyversion=All versions prior to version 5.1.0

Published CVSS scores

9.8GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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