Integer overflow in the format string functionality (Perl_sv_vcatpvfn) in Perl 5.9.2 and 5.8.6 Perl allows attackers to overwrite arbitrary
Integer overflow in the format string functionality (Perl_sv_vcatpvfn) in Perl 5.9.2 and 5.8.6 Perl allows attackers to overwrite arbitrary memory and possibly execute arbitrary code via format string specifiers with large values, which causes an integer wrap and leads to a buffer overflow, as demonstrated using format string vulnerabilities in Perl applications.
- Published
- Dec 1, 2005
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 1.4% · 71th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-189
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Report tools
Action score
18
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 18 / 40 · 4.6 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 1.4%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| perl | perl | cpe:2.3:a:perl:perl |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- perl perl5.8.6
- perl perl5.9.2
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | perl | before 5.8.7-9 | 5.8.7-9 |
| Debian:3.1 | perl | before 5.8.4-8sarge3 | 5.8.4-8sarge3 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | perl | before 5.34.0-1.1 | 5.34.0-1.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | perl | before 2:5.8.0-90.4 | 2:5.8.0-90.4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | perl-CGI | before 2:2.89-90.4 | 2:2.89-90.4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | perl-CPAN | before 2:1.61-90.4 | 2:1.61-90.4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | perl-DB_File | before 2:1.806-90.4 | 2:1.806-90.4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | perl-suidperl | before 2:5.8.0-90.4 | 2:5.8.0-90.4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | perl | before 3:5.8.5-24.RHEL4 | 3:5.8.5-24.RHEL4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | perl-debuginfo | before 3:5.8.5-24.RHEL4 | 3:5.8.5-24.RHEL4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | perl-suidperl | before 3:5.8.5-24.RHEL4 | 3:5.8.5-24.RHEL4 |
Same product
perl: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2012-6329The _compile function in Maketext.pm in the Locale::Maketext implementation in Perl before 5.17.7 does not properly handle backslashes and f49Plan
- CVE-2018-18311Perl before 5.26.3 and 5.28.x before 5.28.1 has a buffer overflow via a crafted regular expression that triggers invalid write operations.43Plan
- CVE-2018-18312Perl before 5.26.3 and 5.28.0 before 5.28.1 has a buffer overflow via a crafted regular expression that triggers invalid write operations.43Plan
- CVE-2018-6913Heap-based buffer overflow in the pack function in Perl before 5.26.2 allows context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code via a lar42Plan
- CVE-2018-18314Perl before 5.26.3 has a buffer overflow via a crafted regular expression that triggers invalid write operations.41Plan
- CVE-2018-6797An issue was discovered in Perl 5.18 through 5.26.41Plan
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:perl | 5.8.7-9 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:perl | 5.34.0-1.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl | 3:5.8.5-24.RHEL4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-CGI | 2:2.89-90.4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-CPAN | 2:1.61-90.4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-DB_File | 2:1.806-90.4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-debuginfo | 3:5.8.5-24.RHEL4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-suidperl | 3:5.8.5-24.RHEL4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- P · data can be read
- Integrity
- P · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- P · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Confidentiality impact
- P
- Integrity impact
- P
- Availability impact
- P
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-189 · Numeric ErrorsCVSS vector
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/patches/3.7/common/007_perl.patch
- ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/patches/3.8/common/001_perl.patch
- ftp://patches.sgi.com/support/free/security/advisories/20060101-01-U
- distro.conectiva.com.br/atualizacoes/?id=a&anuncio=001056
- docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304829
- lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2006/Nov/msg00001.html
- marc.info/?l=full-disclosure&m=113342788118630&w=2
- secunia.com/advisories/17762
- secunia.com/advisories/17802
- secunia.com/advisories/17844
- secunia.com/advisories/17941
- secunia.com/advisories/17952
- secunia.com/advisories/17993
- secunia.com/advisories/18075
- secunia.com/advisories/18183
- secunia.com/advisories/18187
- secunia.com/advisories/18295
- secunia.com/advisories/18413
- secunia.com/advisories/18517
- secunia.com/advisories/19041
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.