CVE-2012-5195: Heap-based buffer overflow in the Perl_repeatcpy function in util.c in Perl 5.12.x before 5.12.5, 5.14.x before 5.14.3, and 5.15.x before…
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 31/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 4.8% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 92.1% of all records.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: perl (Debian:12) 5.14.2-14; perl (Debian:6.0) 5.10.1-17squeeze4; perl (Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server) 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to perl (Debian:12) 5.14.2-14; perl (Debian:6.0) 5.10.1-17squeeze4; perl (Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server) 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
Heap-based buffer overflow in the Perl_repeatcpy function in util.c in Perl 5.12.x before 5.12.5, 5.14.x before 5.14.3, and 5.15.x before 15.15.5 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption and crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via the 'x' string repeat operator.
- Published
- Dec 17, 2012
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 4.8% · 92th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-119
Report tools
Action score
31
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 4.8%
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
Is your version affected? Check itNoroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| 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 perl5.12.0
- perl perl5.12.1
- perl perl5.12.2
- perl perl5.12.3
- perl perl5.12.4
- perl perl5.14.0
- perl perl5.14.1
- perl perl5.14.2
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 5.14.2-14 | 5.14.2-14 |
| Debian:6.0 | perl | before 5.10.1-17squeeze4 | 5.10.1-17squeeze4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | perl | before 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9 | 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | perl-debuginfo | before 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9 | 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | perl-suidperl | before 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9 | 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl | before 4:5.10.1-130.el6_4 | 4:5.10.1-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-Archive-Extract | before 1:0.38-130.el6_4 | 1:0.38-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-Archive-Tar | before 0:1.58-130.el6_4 | 0:1.58-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-CGI | before 0:3.51-130.el6_4 | 0:3.51-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-Compress-Raw-Bzip2 | before 0:2.020-130.el6_4 | 0:2.020-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-Compress-Raw-Zlib | before 1:2.020-130.el6_4 | 1:2.020-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-Compress-Zlib | before 0:2.020-130.el6_4 | 0:2.020-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-core | before 0:5.10.1-130.el6_4 | 0:5.10.1-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-CPAN | before 0:1.9402-130.el6_4 | 0:1.9402-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-CPANPLUS | before 0:0.88-130.el6_4 | 0:0.88-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-debuginfo | before 4:5.10.1-130.el6_4 | 4:5.10.1-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-devel | before 4:5.10.1-130.el6_4 | 4:5.10.1-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-Digest-SHA | before 1:5.47-130.el6_4 | 1:5.47-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-ExtUtils-CBuilder | before 1:0.27-130.el6_4 | 1:0.27-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-ExtUtils-Embed | before 0:1.28-130.el6_4 | 0:1.28-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-ExtUtils-MakeMaker | before 0:6.55-130.el6_4 | 0:6.55-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-ExtUtils-ParseXS | before 1:2.2003.0-130.el6_4 | 1:2.2003.0-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-File-Fetch | before 0:0.26-130.el6_4 | 0:0.26-130.el6_4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | perl-IO-Compress-Base | before 0:2.020-130.el6_4 | 0:2.020-130.el6_4 |
+28
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…49Plan
- 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
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2012-1151Sep 9, 2012 · Multiple format string vulnerabilities in dbdimp.c in DBD::Pg (aka DBD-Pg or libdbd-pg-perl) module before 2.19.0 for Perl allow remote…21Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2011-4363Oct 7, 2012 · ProcessTable.pm in the Proc::ProcessTable module 0.45 for Perl, when TTY information caching is enabled, allows local users to overwrite…10Monitor
- Later →CVE-2011-2728Dec 21, 2012 · The bsd_glob function in the File::Glob module for Perl before 5.14.2 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service…17Monitor
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 | 5.14.2-14 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl | 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-Archive-Extract | 1:0.38-130.el6_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-Archive-Tar | 0:1.58-130.el6_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-CGI | 0:3.51-130.el6_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-Compress-Raw-Bzip2 | 0:2.020-130.el6_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-Compress-Raw-Zlib | 1:2.020-130.el6_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-Compress-Zlib | 0:2.020-130.el6_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-CPAN | 0:1.9402-130.el6_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-CPANPLUS | 0:0.88-130.el6_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-debuginfo | 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-Digest-SHA | 1:5.47-130.el6_4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:perl-suidperl | 4:5.8.8-40.el5_9 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | 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.
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.
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-119 · Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory BufferCVSS vector
AV:N/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.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Buffer Overflow via Environment VariablesCAPEC-10likelihood: High · High
- Overflow BuffersCAPEC-100likelihood: High · Very High
- Buffer ManipulationCAPEC-123likelihood: High · Very High
- Client-side Injection-induced Buffer OverflowCAPEC-14likelihood: Medium · High
- Filter Failure through Buffer OverflowCAPEC-24likelihood: High · High
- MIME ConversionCAPEC-42likelihood: High · High
- Overflow Binary Resource FileCAPEC-44likelihood: High · Very High
- Buffer Overflow via Symbolic LinksCAPEC-45likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log (1)
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (15 more)Show less
- kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=JSA10705
- kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=JSA10735
- perl5.git.perl.org/perl.git/commit/2709980d5a193ce6f3a16f0d19879a6560dcde44
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0685.html
- secunia.com/advisories/51457
- secunia.com/advisories/55314
- www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2586
- www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2013:113
- www.nntp.perl.org/group/perl.perl5.porters/2012/10/msg193886.html
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/10/26/2
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/10/27/1
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/ovmbulletinjul2016-3090546.html
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/56287
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1643-1
- wiki.mageia.org/en/Support/Advisories/MGASA-2012-0352
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.