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TI-2026-78158 Aliases CVE-2026-108518

Type confusion in Perl DBI profiling can crash the process

Priority MEDIUM 48CWE-843Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
High
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · None · Low
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

DBI versions before 1.656 for Perl contain a type confusion flaw (CWE-843) in dbi_profile. When a database handle is destroyed while a profile path contains an {attr} element, dbi_profile dereferences the handle's inner hash as a reference, which can crash the process with SIGSEGV. A local attacker who can set the profile path, through the application, the Profile handle attribute or the DBI_PROFILE environment variable, can crash a program that uses DBI.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30

Description from the CNA

DBI versions before 1.656 for Perl crash via type confusion in dbi_profile when a database handle is destroyed under a Profile Path with an {attr} element. An {attr} element names a database handle attribute, which dbi_profile reads from the handle's inner hash. It expects the inner handle as a reference and dereferences it, but a handle that is being destroyed hands back the inner hash itself, so the dereference yields the hash's bucket array. A type check on that pointer usually fails and the call goes unprofiled. When the memory it addresses passes the check, the attribute lookup dereferences a NULL or invalid pointer and the process dies on SIGSEGV. The Path is set by the application, by the Profile handle attribute, or by the DBI_PROFILE environment variable, so `DBI_PROFILE={ImplementorClass}` can crash an unmodified program.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00254 17th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial DBI: 1.656Red Hat: 5 without a fix

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
Poc
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
—DBIbefore 1.6561.656Patch availableCNA
  • DBI Vendor— Affected before 1.656 Fixed in 1.656 Patch available CNA

Remediation

Upgrade DBI to version 1.656 or later. Red Hat lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 as affected with no fix planned, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 as affected with no fix available.

Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-10-30

  • Fix · CNA DBI Fixed in 1.656

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6AffectedNo fix planned: Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9AffectedNo fix yet: Fix deferred

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-21 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-108518
  2. 2026-10-21 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
  3. 2026-10-21 CVSS score added · Red Hat
  4. 2026-10-30 CVSS score added · CISA ADP
  5. 2026-10-30 CISA SSVC decision points changed
  6. 2026-10-30 Priority changed: LOW → MEDIUM

References

Sources