CVE-2021-22881Public exploitNetwork attack vector

User redirection via incomplete Host validation

Published Feb 11, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Open redirect in Rails Action Pack 6.0.0 through 6.0.3.4 and 6.1.0 through 6.1.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users via crafted Host headers. The authorized? method removes only a trailing port before matching the entire Host value against a leading-dot host permission, allowing an invalid delimiter and matching suffix to pass the allowlist. Exploitation requires a leading-dot allowed-host entry and user interaction; the victim is redirected to an attacker-controlled site, enabling phishing without reported server-side data modification or interruption.

CVSS severity6.1
Medium
EPSS probability87.30%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Open redirect in Rails Action Pack 6.0.0 through 6.0.3.4 and 6.1.0 through 6.1.2 allows remote attackers to redirect users via crafted Host headers. The authorized? method removes only a trailing port before matching the entire Host value against a leading-dot host permission, allowing an invalid delimiter and matching suffix to pass the allowlist. Exploitation requires a leading-dot allowed-host entry and user interaction; the victim is redirected to an attacker-controlled site, enabling phishing without reported server-side data modification or interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22881
Published
Feb 11, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Rails
Product
Action Pack
Classifications
CWE-601, T1566.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 11, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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=Fixed in 6.1.2.1, 6.0.3.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Rails · Action Packversion=Fixed in 6.1.2.1, 6.0.3.5

Published CVSS scores

6.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

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.

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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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-601URL Redirection to Untrusted Site ('Open Redirect')
T1566.002Phishing: Spearphishing Link

Public exploit references

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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