CVE-2018-18312

Perl 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

published December 5, 2018

CVSS
—
EPSS
13%
Percentile
96.3
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚠️ A crafty regular expression can break your Perl code! If you're using Perl versions before 5.26.3 or 5.28.1, watch out for sneaky buffer overflows. 🔍 Think of this vulnerability like a jigsaw puzzle missing a few pieces. If you try to force a piece that doesn't fit, the whole picture can get distorted and may even break the table it’s on! This buffer overflow could potentially allow attackers to corrupt memory, leading to crashes or unpredictable behavior in your applications. While there's no known exploitation yet, the risk of triggering invalid write operations can be absolutely devastating for your system's stability!

Put simply

Think of this vulnerability like a jigsaw puzzle missing a few pieces. If you try to force a piece that doesn't fit, the whole picture can get distorted and may even break the table it’s on! The vulnerability in Perl allows for a buffer overflow caused by crafted regular expressions, which can lead to invalid memory writes. Essentially, this means that poorly constructed regex can cause the interpreter to overwrite crucial memory spaces, resulting in crashes or even arbitrary code execution.

What to do

This buffer overflow could potentially allow attackers to corrupt memory, leading to crashes or unpredictable behavior in your applications. While there's no known exploitation yet, the risk of triggering invalid write operations can be absolutely devastating for your system's stability! To mitigate this issue, upgrade your Perl to version 5.26.3, 5.28.1, or later immediately. It’s also wise to review your regular expressions and ensure they're constructed safely to prevent unexpected behavior. Don't forget to run tests after the patch to ensure everything works smoothly! You’ve got this! By following these steps, you’ll shore up your Perl environment and keep your applications safe. 🛡️

The record
Technical detail
CVSS
Not scored
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.12768 · 96.3th percentile
Published
2018-12-05T22:00Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 05 DEC 22:00Z
    Perl 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
    cvelistv5