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Home >> Browse Vulnerability Assessment Database >> Gentoo Local Security Checks >> [GLSA-200512-01] Perl: Format string errors can lead to code execution

Vulnerability Assessment Details

[GLSA-200512-01] Perl: Format string errors can lead to code execution

Vulnerability Assessment Summary
Perl: Format string errors can lead to code execution

Detailed Explanation for this Vulnerability Assessment
The remote host is affected by the vulnerability described in GLSA-200512-01
(Perl: Format string errors can lead to code execution)

Jack Louis discovered a new way to exploit format string errors in
Perl that could lead to the execution of arbitrary code. This is
perfomed by causing an integer wrap overflow in the efix variable
inside the function Perl_sv_vcatpvfn. The proposed fix closes that
specific exploitation vector to mitigate the risk of format string
programming errors in Perl. This fix does not remove the need to fix
such errors in Perl code.

Impact

Perl applications making improper use of printf functions (or
derived functions) using untrusted data may be vulnerable to the
already-known forms of Perl format string exploits and also to the
execution of arbitrary code.

Workaround

Fix all misbehaving Perl applications so that they make proper use
of the printf and derived Perl functions.

References:
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2005-3962
http://www.dyadsecurity.com/perl-0002.html
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/418460/30/30

Solution:
All Perl users should upgrade to the latest version:
# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose dev-lang/perl

Network Security Threat Level: High

Networks Security ID:

Vulnerability Assessment Copyright: (C) 2005 Michel Arboi

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