# CVE-2026-13048: Data::MuForm::Localizer versions through 0.05 for Perl execute Perl from a message catalog header, reached at an arbitrary path because load_lexicon interpolates the language attribute into the catalog filename

Status: published. Published: 2026-08-13. Updated: 2026-11-04.

Data::MuForm::Localizer versions through 0.05 for Perl execute Perl from a message catalog header, reached at an arbitrary path because load_lexicon interpolates the language attribute into the catalog filename.

load_lexicon builds the catalog path by appending `Messages/$lang.po` to the directory holding Localizer.pm, where $lang is the language attribute, with no check that it names a bare locale tag. A value holding `../` segments walks out of the message directory, so any readable path with a `.po` suffix is loaded. While parsing the catalog, extract_header_msgstr takes the `Plural-Forms:` header, prefixes `$` to the bare words nplurals, plural and n, and passes the rest verbatim into a string that is evaluated: the nplurals form evaluates the header expression immediately, and the plural_code form compiles it into a subroutine whose body runs when a plural message is localized. A header of `nplurals=2; plural=(system('...'),0);` therefore runs that command as the catalog loads. The evaluation inherits strict, so an expression that assigns to an undeclared variable fails to compile, while one built from calls alone does not.

An application that sets the language attribute from request data, an Accept-Language header or a locale parameter, and an attacker who can place a file with a `.po` suffix and chosen contents at a readable path, together give code execution as the application user. The message expansion path is not affected: expand_named substitutes only the placeholder names the caller supplies, and _mangle_value returns the value unchanged.

## Remediation

- workaround: No fixed release is available, and the distribution has not been updated since 2018. Apply the patch, which requires the language attribute to be a bare locale tag and parses the Plural-Forms header against the gettext plural grammar before it is evaluated. Deployments that cannot patch should not set the language attribute from request data, and should map any request supplied locale through a fixed table of supported tags before passing it to a form or localizer. (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://security.metacpan.org/patches/D/Data-MuForm/0.05/CVE-2026-13048-r2.patch

## Affected products and versions

-  /  (Data-MuForm): ≥ 0; ≤ 0.05 (affected, custom). Source: CNA: CPANSec

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 8.2 (high); CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N; source: ADP: CISA-ADP

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.56% as of 2026-11-04; percentile 46.60%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable yes; technical impact partial; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-95, CWE-22

## Exploit evidence

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

## References

- https://security.metacpan.org/patches/D/Data-MuForm/0.05/CVE-2026-13048-r2.patch (CNA: CPANSec; patch)

- https://github.com/gshank/data-muform/pull/19 (CNA: CPANSec; issue-tracking)

- https://metacpan.org/release/GSHANK/Data-MuForm-0.05/source/lib/Data/MuForm/Localizer.pm#L56-63 (CNA: CPANSec)

- https://metacpan.org/release/GSHANK/Data-MuForm-0.05/source/lib/Data/MuForm/Localizer.pm#L381-428 (CNA: CPANSec)

- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/08/13/10 (ADP: CVE)

## Provenance

- CNA: CPANSec: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-13048; retrieved 2026-11-04; source updated 2026-11-04

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2026-13048; retrieved 2026-11-04; source updated Not reported

Revision: 211a4b7599bd813843df92b5a86b428a2b9dc4b48d48bc7482eb64656451e8da

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2026-13048

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