CVE-2021-41136 LOW

CVE-2021-41136: Inconsistent Interpretation of HTTP Requests ('HTTP Request Smuggling') in puma

Vendor Puma
Product puma
Weakness CWE-444
Published October 12, 2021
Last update May 27, 2025

CVSS base score

3.7/10
Attack vector Network
Attack complexity High
Privileges required Low
User interaction Required
Confidentiality Low
Integrity Low

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

What the vulnerability does

01Description

Puma is a HTTP 1.1 server for Ruby/Rack applications. Prior to versions 5.5.1 and 4.3.9, using `puma` with a proxy which forwards HTTP header values which contain the LF character could allow HTTP request smugggling. A client could smuggle a request through a proxy, causing the proxy to send a response back to another unknown client. The only proxy which has this behavior, as far as the Puma team is aware of, is Apache Traffic Server. If the proxy uses persistent connections and the client adds another request in via HTTP pipelining, the proxy may mistake it as the first request's body. Puma, however, would see it as two requests, and when processing the second request, send back a response that the proxy does not expect. If the proxy has reused the persistent connection to Puma to send another request for a different client, the second response from the first client will be sent to the second client. This vulnerability was patched in Puma 5.5.1 and 4.3.9. As a workaround, do not use Apache Traffic Server with `puma`.

Key dates

02Disclosure timeline

October 12, 2021 CVE published
May 27, 2025 Record updated