Description
XS::Parse::Infix versions from 0.40 through 0.49 for Perl treat a number as an array reference.

The wrapper function XS::Parse::Infix generates for a list-associative infix operator checks whether arguments are array references, but it tests using SvRV() rather than SvROK(). SvRV() reads a union slot that only holds a referent once SvROK(sv) is true, so the guard never validates that it is a reference. For an IV or NV that slot holds the number itself, SvRV() returns the caller's value and SvTYPE() dereferences it at offset 12. This will generally result in a segmentation fault.

An application that hands the wrapper a list built from decoded input (for example, from JSON) lets whoever supplies a number in that list choose the address that the interpreter dereferences.

An ordinary string's byte 12 is rarely SVt_PVAV so the guard croaks by luck, but an attacker-crafted string carrying 0x0b there passes, and the buffer is then used as an AV head, with AvARRAY taken from bytes 16-23 and its entries pushed onto the Perl stack as live SVs.

A simple proof-of-concept uses the zip operator:

use Syntax::Operator::Zip 'zip';

my @args = ([1], 2);
zip(@args);
Published: 2026-09-28
Score: 7.5 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
AI Analysis

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Remediation

Vendor Solution

Upgrade to XS-Parse-Keyword 0.50 or later.


Vendor Workaround

For deployments that cannot upgrade, ensure that correct arguments (only array references where they are expected) are passed to list-associative operators that are defined with XS::Parse::Infix, such as those in Syntax::Operator::Zip.

Tracking

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Advisories

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History

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Perl
Perl xs::parse::infix
Vendors & Products Perl
Perl xs::parse::infix

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Important


Mon, 28 Sep 2026 19:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description XS::Parse::Infix versions from 0.40 through 0.49 for Perl treat a number as an array reference. The wrapper function XS::Parse::Infix generates for a list-associative infix operator checks whether arguments are array references, but it tests using SvRV() rather than SvROK(). SvRV() reads a union slot that only holds a referent once SvROK(sv) is true, so the guard never validates that it is a reference. For an IV or NV that slot holds the number itself, SvRV() returns the caller's value and SvTYPE() dereferences it at offset 12. This will generally result in a segmentation fault. An application that hands the wrapper a list built from decoded input (for example, from JSON) lets whoever supplies a number in that list choose the address that the interpreter dereferences. An ordinary string's byte 12 is rarely SVt_PVAV so the guard croaks by luck, but an attacker-crafted string carrying 0x0b there passes, and the buffer is then used as an AV head, with AvARRAY taken from bytes 16-23 and its entries pushed onto the Perl stack as live SVs. A simple proof-of-concept uses the zip operator: use Syntax::Operator::Zip 'zip'; my @args = ([1], 2); zip(@args);
Title XS::Parse::Infix versions from 0.40 through 0.49 for Perl treat a number as an array reference
Weaknesses CWE-125
CWE-843
References

Subscriptions

Perl Xs::parse::infix
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: CPANSec

Published:

Updated: 2026-09-28T18:10:33.637Z

Reserved: 2026-09-04T12:35:22.410Z

Link: CVE-2026-85644

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Received

Published: 2026-09-28T17:17:51.127

Modified: 2026-09-28T19:16:50.367

Link: CVE-2026-85644

cve-icon Redhat

Severity : Important

Publid Date: 2026-09-28T16:09:02Z

Links: CVE-2026-85644 - Bugzilla

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-09-29T13:20:52Z

Weaknesses