PerlspeakApplication · Perlspeak Project
CVE-2020-10674
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedPerlSpeak through 2.01 allows attackers to execute arbitrary OS commands, as demonstrated by use of system and 2-argument open.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidencePerlSpeak through 2.01 contains a command injection vulnerability allowing attackers to execute arbitrary OS commands. The vulnerability is demonstrated through the use of the Perl system() function combined with the dangerous 2-argument open() pattern, which interprets special characters (pipes, redirects) in user-controlled input without proper sanitization.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
PerlspeakApplication
<= 2.01CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Locate Perlspeak installationSearch for Perlspeak files on the system. Common locations include /usr/local/bin/, /opt/, or within user home directories. Use: find / -name '*perlspeak*' -o -name '*PerlSpeak*' 2>/dev/nullAffected if Perlspeak files are found on the system
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Identify Perlspeak versionCheck the version string in the main Perlspeak script or associated VERSION file. Look for version declarations near the top of the script or in a separate version file.Affected if Version is 2.01 or lower (any version <= 2.01)
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Inspect source code for dangerous 2-argument open() callsSearch Perlspeak source files for the pattern: open(FH, $variable) or open(FH, "$variable") where $variable contains user input. This 2-argument form interprets shell metacharacters.Affected if 2-argument open() calls exist that handle user-supplied filenames or data
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Check if system() calls receive unsanitized inputExamine code for system() function calls where user-controlled variables are passed directly as arguments without sanitization via shell escaping (e.g., no use of quotemeta or proper argument lists).Affected if system() calls receive raw user input without sanitization
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Verify user input reaches vulnerable functionsTrace the data flow from user input points (CGI parameters, form inputs, file uploads, command-line arguments) through to the open() and system() calls identified above.Affected if User-controlled input can reach the dangerous open() or system() calls without filtering
A system is affected if Perlspeak version 2.01 or lower is installed AND the source code contains 2-argument open() calls or unsanitized system() calls that process user input.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade to a patched version of PerlSpeak if available. If no patch exists, refactor all 2-argument open() calls to use the safer 3-argument form and sanitize or eliminate user input passed to system() calls to prevent command injection.
PerlSpeak version > 2.01 (check metacpan.org for latest fixed release)
- Check metacpan.org and rt.cpan.org for the latest PerlSpeak release that addresses CVE-2020-10674
- Upgrade to the fixed version of PerlSpeak (version > 2.01)
- If no fixed version is available, consider discontinuing use of Perlspeak and seek alternative speech synthesis tools
- Verify the upgrade by checking the application's dependencies
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Perlspeak
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,120.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-10674 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-10674 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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