CGI for Perl trusts client X-Forwarded-Host header in generated URLs
Key facts
- Attack vector
- —
- Privileges required
- —
- User interaction
- —
- Attack complexity
- —
- Impact type
- Spoofing
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- —
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 4 without a fix
No CVSS vector from any source. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-601.
Summary
CGI versions before 5.00 for Perl trust the client X-Forwarded-Host request header when building URLs in url, self_url, virtual_host and virtual_port. The host name and port are taken from that header without validation, so the default redirect location, base href and form action can point at an attacker-chosen host. A client can poison shared caches and cause redirects, links and scripts that point at a host it controls (CWE-601).
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-04
Description from the CNA
CGI versions before 5.00 for Perl trust the client X-Forwarded-Host header in url, self_url, virtual_host and virtual_port. These take the host name and port from the X-Forwarded-Host request header when present, and otherwise from Host, without validating either. The URLs from url and self_url are the default redirect location and the start_html(-base=>1) base href, and the default start_form action when REQUEST_URI is not set. A client can poison shared caches, and URLs the application stores or sends, with redirects, links and scripts that point at a host it controls.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | CGI | before 5.00 | 5.00 | Patch available | CNA |
- CGI Vendor— Affected before 5.00 Fixed in 5.00 Patch available CNA
Remediation
CGI for Perl is fixed in version 5.00. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9 and 10 are listed as affected, and the sources list no fixed version for them.
Written with Claude Haiku 5.5 from the sources below · 2026-11-04
- Fix · CNA CGI Fixed in 5.00
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
Timeline
- 2026-11-03 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-120633
- 2026-11-04 Affected versions changed · Red Hat
- 2026-11-04 CVSS score added · Red Hat
- 2026-11-04 Alias added: GHSA-r9xh-qv72-jvjf
References
Sources
- CVE-2026-120633 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-120633 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-r9xh-qv72-jvjf · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2026-120633 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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