CVE-2024-55918
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 · uneditedAn issue was discovered in the Graphics::ColorNames package before 3.2.0 for Perl. There is an ambiguity between modules and filenames that can lead to HTML injection by an attacker who can create a file in the current working directory.
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 confidenceThe Graphics::ColorNames Perl package before version 3.2.0 has a module/filename ambiguity vulnerability where the module dynamically loads color definitions from files based on user-controlled input or the current working directory. An attacker who can place a file with a crafted name (e.g., with HTML/script content) in the current working directory can influence what gets loaded and potentially inject HTML into applications that render these color names.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
CVSS 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
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
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.
-
Check installed Graphics::ColorNames versionRun 'perl -MGraphics::ColorNames -e 'print $Graphics::ColorNames::VERSION' in the target environmentAffected if Version is below 3.2.0 or the version variable cannot be retrieved (indicating an old installation)
-
Identify color definition file loading behaviorInspect the Graphics::ColorNames source code for 'require' or 'do' statements that load external files based on user input or cwd, or check the module's documentation for how it resolves color definition file pathsAffected if The module loads files from paths derived from user input or the current working directory without sanitization
-
Examine application working directoriesIdentify all directories from which Perl applications using Graphics::ColorNames are executed, and check file permissions on those directoriesAffected if Users other than the application owner can create files in those directories, allowing placement of maliciously named color definition files
A user is affected if Graphics::ColorNames version is below 3.2.0 AND the application runs in a directory where untrusted users can create files, enabling injection of malicious color definition files.
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 Graphics::ColorNames version 3.2.0 or later, which addresses the module loading ambiguity. Additionally, ensure untrusted files cannot be created in directories from which Perl applications run.
Graphics::ColorNames 3.2.0
- Upgrade the Graphics::ColorNames Perl module to version 3.2.0 or later via CPAN: `cpan -i Graphics::ColorNames` or `cpanm Graphics::ColorNames`
- Alternatively, if using a system package manager, check for and install the updated package version 3.2.0 or later
- Verify the installed version matches or exceeds 3.2.0 using: `perl -MGraphics::ColorNames -e 'print $Graphics::ColorNames::VERSION'
- Ensure no untrusted files exist in the current working directory that could be exploited through the module/filename ambiguity
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- 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-2024-55918 — 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-2024-55918 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
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- 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
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data