---
title: "CVE-2020-5216\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-5216?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2020-5216

Publication date 23 January 2020

Last updated 26 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**4.4 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-5216?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

In Secure Headers (RubyGem secure\_headers), a directive injection
vulnerability is present in versions before 3.9.0, 5.2.0, and 6.3.0. If
user-supplied input was passed into
append/override\_content\_security\_policy\_directives, a newline could be
injected leading to limited header injection. Upon seeing a newline in the
header, rails will silently create a new Content-Security-Policy header
with the remaining value of the original string. It will continue to create
new headers for each newline. This has been fixed in 6.3.0, 5.2.0, and
3.9.0.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ruby-secure-headers | 26.04 LTS resolute | Not affected |
| 25.10 questing | Not affected |
| 25.04 plucky | Not affected |
| 24.10 oracular | Not affected |
| 24.04 LTS noble | Not affected |
| 23.10 mantic | Not affected |
| 23.04 lunar | Not affected |
| 22.10 kinetic | Not affected |
| 22.04 LTS jammy | Not affected |
| 21.10 impish | Not affected |
| 21.04 hirsute | Not affected |
| 20.10 groovy | Not affected |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Vulnerable |
| 19.10 eoan | Ignored end of life |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Vulnerable |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

4.4 · Medium

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | High |
  | Privileges required | Low |
  | User interaction | Required |
  | Scope | Changed |
  | Confidentiality impact | Low |
  | Integrity impact | Low |
  | Availability impact | None |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 4.4 · Medium |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

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

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2020-5216)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5216)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2020-5216)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2020-5216)

### Other references

* <https://github.com/twitter/secure_headers/security/advisories/GHSA-w978-rmpf-qmwg>
* <https://github.com/twitter/secure_headers/commit/301695706f6a70517c2a90c6ef9b32178440a2d0>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-5216>