CVE-2023-47039: Perl: perl for windows binary hijacking vulnerability
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: 0.41% (FIRST EPSS).
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: github.com/Perl/perl5 perl 5.34.3, 5.36.3, 5.38.2.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to github.com/Perl/perl5 perl 5.34.3, 5.36.3, 5.38.2 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
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
A vulnerability was found in Perl. This security issue occurs while Perl for Windows relies on the system path environment variable to find the shell (`cmd.exe`). When running an executable that uses the Windows Perl interpreter, Perl attempts to find and execute `cmd.exe` within the operating system. However, due to path search order issues, Perl initially looks for cmd.exe in the current working directory. This flaw allows an attacker with limited privileges to place`cmd.exe` in locations with weak permissions, such as `C:\ProgramData`. By doing so, arbitrary code can be executed when an administrator attempts to use this executable from these compromised locations.
- Published
- Jan 2, 2024
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.4% · 36th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-122
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 · 0.4%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 7.8
- CNA · redhat
- 7.8
- agree
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
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.
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- perl perlbefore 5.32.1
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (redhat). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
github.com/Perl/perl5 perl
- before 5.34.3affected · semver
- 5.36.0 and later · before 5.36.3affected · semver
- 5.38.0 and later · before 5.38.2affected · semver
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- all versionsunknown
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- all versionsunknown
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- all versionsunknown
- all versionsunknown
- all versionsunknown
Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
- all versionsunknown
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | perl | before 5.38.2-1.1 | 5.38.2-1.1 |
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
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2022-48522Aug 22, 2023 · In Perl 5.34.0, function S_find_uninit_var in sv.c has a stack-based crash that can lead to remote code execution or local privilege escalat40Plan
- ← EarlierCVE-2023-47038Dec 18, 2023 · Perl: write past buffer end via illegal user-defined unicode property31Monitor
- Later →CVE-2024-56406Apr 13, 2025 · Perl is vulnerable to a heap buffer overflow when transliterating non-ASCII bytes33Monitor
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 |
|---|---|---|
| github.com/Perl/perl5 perl | 5.34.3 | Vendor (CNA) |
| github.com/Perl/perl5 perl | 5.36.3 | Vendor (CNA) |
| github.com/Perl/perl5 perl | 5.38.2 | Vendor (CNA) |
| opensuse:perl | 5.38.2-1.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | 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.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
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.
- CVE-2024-56406467 days apartPerl is vulnerable to a heap buffer overflow when transliterating non-ASCII bytes33Monitor
- CVE-2023-4703815 days apartPerl: write past buffer end via illegal user-defined unicode property31Monitor
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.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- 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
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-122 · Heap-based Buffer OverflowCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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
—
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (4 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.