CVE-2022-36073Network attack vector

Account persistence via reused email confirmation token

Published Sep 7, 2022 · Updated Apr 23, 2025

Authentication bypass in RubyGems.org before 90c9e6a allows remote authenticated users to claim an arbitrary unverified email address. The password-reset flow calls User#generate_confirmation_token without clearing unconfirmed_email, so the reset token also confirms a pending email change. An attacker needs an account and control of its current email; retained API keys can later permit publishing or yanking gems after the address owner recovers the account.

CVSS severity8.3
High
EPSS probability0.99%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in RubyGems.org before 90c9e6a allows remote authenticated users to claim an arbitrary unverified email address. The password-reset flow calls User#generate_confirmation_token without clearing unconfirmed_email, so the reset token also confirms a pending email change. An attacker needs an account and control of its current email; retained API keys can later permit publishing or yanking gems after the address owner recovers the account.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-36073
Published
Sep 7, 2022
Updated
Apr 23, 2025
Vendor
RubyGems
Product
RubyGems.org
Classifications
CWE-287, T1098
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 7, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 23, 2025Record 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=< 90c9e6aac2d91518b479c51d48275c57de492d4d

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

RubyGems · RubyGems.orgversion=< 90c9e6aac2d91518b479c51d48275c57de492d4d

Published CVSS scores

8.3GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
8.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/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.

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication
T1098Account Manipulation

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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