Nokogiri: Possible Use-After-Free when directly using `NokogirI::XML::XPathContext` beyond document lifetime
Key facts
- Attack vector
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- Privileges required
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- User interaction
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- Attack complexity
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- Impact type
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- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
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- Fix status
- Fixed
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from GitHub.
Summary
### Summary `Nokogiri::XML::XPathContext` did not keep its source document alive for garbage collection. If an `XPathContext` outlived its document and the document was collected, evaluating an XPath expression could read invalid memory and potentially segfault. This is only reachable when application code constructs an `XPathContext` directly and lets the document become unreachable while continuing to use the context. The normal `Document#xpath`, `#css`, and related search methods are not affected, and it is not triggerable by malicious document input. Nokogiri 1.19.4 makes `XPathContext` keep its source document alive for as long as the context exists. Only the CRuby implementation is affected. JRuby is not affected. ### Severity The Nokogiri maintainers have evaluated this as low severity. Reaching it requires an unusual API-usage pattern that does not arise during normal use. The application must construct an `XML::XPathContext` directly and continue using it after allowing its source document to be garbage-collected. Nokogiri 1.19.4 makes this pattern safe with no change to the public API. The context now keeps its source document alive for as long as it exists. ### Mitigation Upgrade to Nokogiri 1.19.4 or later. As a workaround, ensure the source document remains referenced for as long as any `XPathContext` created from it is in use. The standard `Document#xpath`, `#css`, and related search methods already do this and are unaffected. ### Credit This issue was responsibly reported by Zheng Yu from depthfirst.com.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | nokogiri (RubyGems) | before 1.19.4 | 1.19.4 | Patch available | GHSA-p67v-3w7g-wjg7 |
- nokogiri (RubyGems) Vendor— Affected before 1.19.4 Fixed in 1.19.4 Patch available GHSA-p67v-3w7g-wjg7
Remediation
- Fix · GHSA-p67v-3w7g-wjg7 nokogiri (RubyGems) Fixed in 1.19.4 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-03 Threatist record created from GHSA-p67v-3w7g-wjg7
References
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences