Ruby on Rails weak/known secret token
Description
Ruby on Rails applications use a secret token (typically stored in config/initializers/secret_token.rb) to cryptographically sign session cookies, ensuring their integrity and authenticity. This token prevents attackers from tampering with or forging session data. The application is currently using a weak, default, or publicly known secret token that has been successfully identified. When an attacker knows this secret value, they can forge valid session cookies to impersonate any user and potentially achieve Remote Code Execution through deserialization attacks on crafted Ruby objects.
Remediation
Immediately generate a new cryptographically secure secret token and update your Rails application configuration:
1. Generate a new secret token:
Run the following command in your Rails application directory to generate a secure random token:
rake secret
2. Update the secret token configuration:
Replace the existing token in config/initializers/secret_token.rb with the newly generated value:
YourApp::Application.config.secret_token = 'your_new_randomly_generated_token_here' # For Rails 4+, also set secret_key_base: YourApp::Application.config.secret_key_base = 'your_new_randomly_generated_token_here'
3. Restart your application to apply the changes.
Important: Never commit secret tokens to version control. Use environment variables or encrypted credentials for production deployments. Note that changing the secret token will invalidate all existing user sessions, requiring users to log in again.