Encode.pm, as distributed in Perl through 5.34.0, allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse Encode::ConfigLocal library (in t
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: 1.3% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 71.6% of all records.
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. No account or password is required. A user must open a link or visit a page. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: perl (Alpine:v3.15) 5.34.0-r1; perl-encode (Alpine:v3.15) 3.12-r0; libencode-perl (Debian:12) 3.08-2.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to perl (Alpine:v3.15) 5.34.0-r1; perl-encode (Alpine:v3.15) 3.12-r0; libencode-perl (Debian:12) 3.08-2 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
Encode.pm, as distributed in Perl through 5.34.0, allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse Encode::ConfigLocal library (in the current working directory) that preempts dynamic module loading. Exploitation requires an unusual configuration, and certain 2021 versions of Encode.pm (3.05 through 3.11). This issue occurs because the || operator evaluates @INC in a scalar context, and thus @INC has only an integer value.
- Published
- Aug 11, 2021
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 1.4% · 72th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-427
Report tools
Action score
31
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 1.4%
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.
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Noroxi 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 |
| p5-encode project | p5-encode | cpe:2.3:a:p5-encode_project:p5-encode |
| fedoraproject | fedora | cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- fedoraproject fedora33
- fedoraproject fedora34
- p5-encode project p5-encode3.05 and later · before 3.12
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine:v3.15 | perl | before 5.34.0-r1 | 5.34.0-r1 |
| Alpine:v3.15 | perl-encode | before 3.12-r0 | 3.12-r0 |
| Debian:12 | libencode-perl | before 3.08-2 | 3.08-2 |
| Debian:12 | perl | before 5.32.1-5 | 5.32.1-5 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| alpine:perl | 5.34.0-r1 · Alpine:v3.15 | Package registry (OSV) |
| alpine:perl-encode | 3.12-r0 · Alpine:v3.15 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:libencode-perl | 3.08-2 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:perl | 5.32.1-5 · Debian:12 | 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
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- A user must open a link or visit a page.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-427 · Uncontrolled Search Path ElementCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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)
ATT&CK techniques
- Hijack Execution Flow:DLL search order hijackingT1574.001
- Hijack Execution Flow: Dylib HijackingT1574.004
- Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by PATH Environment VariableT1574.007
- Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Search Order HijackingT1574.008
- Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by Unquoted PathT1574.009
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (8 more)Show less
- github.com/dankogai/p5-encode/commit/527e482dc70b035d0df4f8c77a00d81f8d775c74
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/5NDGQSGMEZ75FJGBKNYC75OTO7TF7XHB/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/6KOZYD7BH2DNIAEZ2ZL4PJ4QUVQI6Y33/
- metacpan.org/dist/Encode/changes
- news.cpanel.com/unscheduled-tsr-10-august-2021/
- security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-36770
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210909-0003/
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20241108-0002/
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.