# CVE-2026-120650: CGI versions before 5.00 for Perl allow memory, CPU and disk exhaustion via missing or unenforced request size, parameter and upload limits

Status: published. Published: 2026-11-03. Updated: 2026-11-03.

CGI versions before 5.00 for Perl allow memory, CPU and disk exhaustion via missing or unenforced request size, parameter and upload limits.

$CGI::POST_MAX defaults to no limit, and when set is not enforced for chunked multipart bodies or for the boundary line of a multipart body without a boundary= parameter. Bodies saved as PUTDATA, POSTDATA or PATCHDATA uploads are read into memory in one go, and nothing limits the number of parameters or uploads.

## Remediation

- fix: Upgrade to CGI 5.00 or later. (source: CNA: CPANSec)
- workaround: For deployments that cannot upgrade, limit the request body size at the web server and set $CGI::POST_MAX. (source: CNA: CPANSec)
- fix: The reporting source identifies this reference as a patch. Check the advisory for affected versions and supported release branches. (source: CNA: CPANSec) — https://github.com/leejo/CGI.pm/commit/17b838dc14d2b82ae6c7e76f66ec2c3f3b08038b.patch
- fix: The reporting source identifies this reference as a patch. Check the advisory for affected versions and supported release branches. (source: CNA: CPANSec) — https://github.com/leejo/CGI.pm/commit/f3febefe63fe3881d8c3ae10fa83ca8ec950b959.patch
- fix: The reporting source identifies this reference as a patch. Check the advisory for affected versions and supported release branches. (source: CNA: CPANSec) — https://github.com/leejo/CGI.pm/commit/277baeb74fde7bce975a7bd0a1f98dcf1b9b2050.patch
- fix: The reporting source identifies this reference as a patch. Check the advisory for affected versions and supported release branches. (source: CNA: CPANSec) — https://github.com/leejo/CGI.pm/commit/8940a74e53a41563f72813b45f99cceaaa4c92e8.patch

## Affected products and versions

-  /  (CGI): ≥ 0; < 5.00 (affected, custom). Source: CNA: CPANSec

## Severity and prioritization

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: Not available

- SSVC: Not available

- Weaknesses: CWE-770

## Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

## References

- https://metacpan.org/release/LEEJO/CGI-4.72/source/lib/CGI.pm (CNA: CPANSec; technical-description)

- https://metacpan.org/release/LEEJO/CGI-5.00/changes (CNA: CPANSec; release-notes)

- https://github.com/leejo/CGI.pm/commit/17b838dc14d2b82ae6c7e76f66ec2c3f3b08038b.patch (CNA: CPANSec; patch)

- https://github.com/leejo/CGI.pm/commit/f3febefe63fe3881d8c3ae10fa83ca8ec950b959.patch (CNA: CPANSec; patch)

- https://github.com/leejo/CGI.pm/commit/277baeb74fde7bce975a7bd0a1f98dcf1b9b2050.patch (CNA: CPANSec; patch)

- https://github.com/leejo/CGI.pm/commit/8940a74e53a41563f72813b45f99cceaaa4c92e8.patch (CNA: CPANSec; patch)

## Provenance

- CNA: CPANSec: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-120650; retrieved 2026-11-04; source updated 2026-11-03

Revision: 4a76dcbf6e4b2764585d90eddf1a90e500355b37231a5add7e38afad6e153345

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-120650

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