GitHub Advisoryadvisory · RubyGems

GHSA-c6rp-p8xm-4q9f Mechanize sends credential headers to another origin after a meta refresh

MEDIUM Published 2026-10-08 Modified 2026-10-08 Official page ↗
Aliases
CVE-2026-107399
Ecosystem
RubyGems
Packages
mechanize
Severity
Moderate
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Weaknesses
CWE-200, CWE-522
Reviewed
2026-10-08

Affected packages

• RubyGems mechanize: < 2.14.1 → fixed in 2.14.1

Description

Summary `mechanize` applied no trust boundary to a `meta` refresh, so credentials set through `Mechanize#request_headers=` followed a refresh that pointed at another origin. Details `Mechanize::HTTP::Agent#response_follow_meta_refresh` fetched the refresh target with no notion of a crossed origin, so `@request_headers` were re-applied in full. An attacker who could place a `meta` refresh in a page the agent fetched — through stored content, an open redirect, or control of any page in the crawl — collected the same credentials as through an HTTP redirect, on a code path that had none of the redirect path's protections. The refresh fetch passes an empty per-request headers hash, so only headers set through `Mechanize#request_headers=` were exposed. This requires `Mechanize#follow_meta_refresh = true`. It is `false` by default, so an agent in its default configuration is not affected. Crawlers commonly enable it. Impact An attacker who can place a `meta` refresh in any page the agent fetches captures bearer tokens and session cookies set through `request_headers=`. Disclosure only; no integrity or availability impact. Patches Fixed in `mechanize` v2.14.1. A `meta` refresh that points at another origin is now subject to the same rule as an HTTP redirect: credentials and cookies are withheld from the request that follows it. Workarounds Leave `Mechanize#follow_meta_refresh` at its default of `false`, or avoid `request_headers=` for credentials when it is enabled.

Related

Alias · CVE (1)

  • CVE-2026-107399 The Mechanize library is used for automating interaction with websites. vulnerability

Weakness · CWE (2)

  • CWE-200 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor weakness
  • CWE-522 Insufficiently Protected Credentials weakness

References