PDF::WebKit versions through 1.2 for Perl allow OS command injection via a 2-arg open() of the output path in to_pdf and of stylesheet paths in _style_tag_for
Summary
| CVE | CVE-2026-17431 |
|---|---|
| State | PUBLISHED |
| Assigner | CPANSec |
| Source Priority | CVE Program / NVD first with legacy fallback |
| Published | 2026-08-13 00:17:31 UTC |
| Updated | 2026-08-13 13:17:47 UTC |
| Description | PDF::WebKit versions through 1.2 for Perl allow OS command injection via a 2-arg open() of the output path in to_pdf and of stylesheet paths in _style_tag_for. to_pdf reads the generated PDF back from its path argument, and _style_tag_for reads each entry of the stylesheets list, by assigning the path to a local @ARGV and reading it with the diamond operator, which opens each @ARGV element with Perl's 2-arg open(). A value that begins or ends with a pipe ("| cmd", "cmd |") is run as a command rather than opened as a file, and one that begins with a redirect ("> path", ">> path") opens that path for write or append. to_file forwards its path argument to to_pdf and reaches the same read. Any caller that forwards untrusted input as the output path or as a stylesheets entry can run a command under the process UID; with the "cmd |" form the command's output is returned in place of the PDF, and with the "> path" form the named file is truncated. Stylesheets may only be added to an HTML source, so a URL or file source exposes the output path alone. |
Risk And Classification
Primary CVSS: v3.1 6.1 MEDIUM from ADP
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N
EPSS: 0.006760000 probability, percentile 0.490360000 (date 2026-08-13)
Problem Types: CWE-73 | CWE-78 | CWE-78 CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') | CWE-73 CWE-73 External Control of File Name or Path
| Version | Source | Type | Score | Severity | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | ADP | DECLARED | 6.1 | MEDIUM | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N |
| 3.1 | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | Secondary | 6.1 | MEDIUM | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N |
CVSS v3.1 Breakdown
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N
Vendor Declared Affected Products
References
| Reference | Source | Link | Tags |
|---|---|---|---|
| wkhtmltopdf.org/status.html | 9b29abf9-4ab0-4765-b253-1875cd9b441e | wkhtmltopdf.org | |
| github.com/kingpong/perl-PDF-WebKit/issues/8 | 9b29abf9-4ab0-4765-b253-1875cd9b441e | github.com | |
| security.metacpan.org/patches/P/PDF-WebKit/1.2/CVE-2026-17431-r1.patch | 9b29abf9-4ab0-4765-b253-1875cd9b441e | security.metacpan.org | |
| www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/08/13/3 | af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 | www.openwall.com | |
| CVE Program record | CVE.ORG | www.cve.org | canonical |
| NVD vulnerability detail | NVD | nvd.nist.gov | canonical, analysis |
Additional Advisory Data
Workarounds
CNA: No fixed release is available. Apply the patch, which reads both paths with a 3-arg open so the value is never interpreted as a command or redirect. Otherwise, do not pass untrusted input as the output path to to_pdf or to_file, or as an entry in the stylesheets list. Note that the wkhtmltopdf project is no longer being developed, and users of this package should migrate to alternative solutions.