# CVE-2026-44837: view_component: System Test Entry Point Path Check Allows Sibling Directory Escape

> Attackers can escape the intended directory in system tests by exploiting a flawed path prefix check, potentially accessing sibling directories.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 26 May 2026
- **Updated:** 28 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-44837, GHSA-hg3h-g7xc-f7vp, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-44837

## What is CVE-2026-44837?

CVE-2026-44837 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in ViewComponent view_component, published on 26 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

view_component is a framework for building reusable, testable, and encapsulated view components in Ruby on Rails. From 3.0.0 to 4.9.0, the system test entrypoint canonicalizes a user-controlled file path with File.realpath, then checks whether the resolved path starts with the temp directory path. This is not a safe containment check because sibling directories can share the same string prefix. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.9.0.

Weakness: CWE-187 (Partial String Comparison)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-44837?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including view_component. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `view_component` | RubyGems | From 3.0.0 | 4.9.0 |
| `view_component` | RubyGems | From 3.0.0 | 4.9.0 |

Products: Viewcomponent View Component.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-44837?

Upgrade view_component to 4.9.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-44837 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-44837 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in ViewComponent view_component

- [CVE-2026-54498](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54498/): view_component: around_render HTML-Safety Bypass (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2026-54497](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-54497/): view_component: Reused Component Instances Retain Stale Render Context (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2024-21636](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21636/): view_component Cross-site Scripting vulnerability (medium 6.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-44837 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-44837 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in ViewComponent view_component, published on 26 May 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-44837 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- view_component (RubyGems): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 4.9.0
- view_component (RubyGems): affected from 3.0.0; fixed in 4.9.0

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44837/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44837/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-44837
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-44837
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-44837

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44837/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.