CVE-2020-36327 — Dependency Confusion in Bundler
Bundler 1.16.0 through 2.2.9 and 2.2.11 through 2.2.16 sometimes chooses a dependency source based on the highest gem version number, which means that a rogue gem found at a public source may be chosen, even if the intended choice was a private gem that is a dependency of another private gem that is explicitly depended on by the application. NOTE: it is not correct to use CVE-2021-24105 for every "Dependency Confusion" issue in every product.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 6.3% (30-day exploitation probability)+14
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
CISA SSVC assessment CISA
Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — msrc.microsoft.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
- Rubygems Bundler: fixed in version 2.2.10 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
- Rubygems Bundler: fixed in version 2.2.18 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Bundler Bundler, Fedoraproject Fedora, Microsoft Package Manager Configurations…).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Exploitation requires user interaction: tighten email/web filtering and warn affected users.
- EPSS ahead of 94% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundler | Bundler | ≥ 1.16.0 and < 2.2.10≥ 2.2.11 and ≤ 2.2.16 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Fedoraproject | Fedora | version 34 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Microsoft | Package Manager Configurations | versions not specified by the source | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Rubygems | Bundler | ≥ 1.16.0 and < 2.2.10≥ 2.2.11 and < 2.2.18 | Vulnerable | GitHub Security Advisories |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 2.8 | 5.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 8.8 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 9.3 | CVSS 2.0 | High | 8.6 | 10.0 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 15, 2026 · 3 reading(s) · max 6.31%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · rubygems/bundler
- SSVC assessment updated
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 8.8
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2021
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× References added · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 13, 2026 – Oct 13, 2026
References
13 on the record
- bundler.io/blog/2021/02/15/a-more-secure-bundler-we-fixed-our-source-priorities.
- msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/en-US/vulnerability/CVE-2021-24105
- github.com/rubysec/ruby-advisory-db/blob/master/gems/bundler/CVE-2020-36327.yml
- github.com/rubygems/rubygems/pull/4609
- github.com/rubygems/rubygems/issues/3982
- www.zofrex.com/blog/2021/04/29/bundler-still-vulnerable-dependency-confusion-cve-202
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/MWXH
- mensfeld.pl/2021/02/rubygems-dependency-confusion-attack-side-of-things/
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36327
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-fp4w-jxhp-m23p
- github.com/rubygems/rubygems/blob/master/bundler/CHANGELOG.md
- github.com/rubygems/rubygems/commit/078bf682ac40017b309b5fc69f283ff640e7c129
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/MWXHK5
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-54230 Abrt: event handler scripts follow symlinks when writing output files, allowing arbitrary file overwrites Jun 13, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-54231 Abrt: unsanitized systemd journal content written to dump directory files enables content injection Jun 13, 2026
- High CVE-2026-35093 Libinput: libinput: unauthorized code execution and information disclosure through lua bytecode plugins Apr 1, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-35094 Libinput: libinput: information disclosure via dangling pointer in lua plugin handling Apr 1, 2026
- Critical CVE-2024-4577 PHP-CGI OS Command Injection Vulnerability KEV Jun 9, 2024
- Critical CVE-2024-5274 Google Chromium V8 Type Confusion Vulnerability KEV May 28, 2024
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CWE classification.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2020-36327 is "Dependency Confusion in Bundler", rated High. It affects Bundler (Bundler); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 8.8 describes technical severity. EPSS 6.31% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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