UNKNOWN CVSS 5.0
Published: 2003-12-31

CVE-2003-1365

perl cgi_lite Security Advisory (CVE-2003-1365)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2003-1365 impacting perl cgi_lite. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 5.0 (UNKNOWN).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
The escape_dangerous_chars function in CGI::Lite 2.0 and earlier does not correctly remove special characters including (1) "\" (backslash), (2) "?", (3) "~" (tilde), (4) "^" (carat), (5) newline, or (6) carriage return, which could allow remote attackers to read or write arbitrary files, or execute arbitrary commands, in shell scripts that rely on CGI::Lite to filter such dangerous inputs.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Confidentiality
None (C:N)
No data confidentiality impact
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product perl / cgi_lite
Affected Versions 2.0
Weakness Enumeration CWE-20

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2003-1365 impacting perl cgi_lite.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2003-1365.yaml
id: cve-2003-1365

info:
  name: perl cgi_lite - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: unknown
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2003-1365 affecting perl cgi_lite.
    Evaluation: The escape_dangerous_chars function in CGI::Lite 2.0 and earlier does not correctly remove special characters including (1) "\" (backslash),...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2003-1365
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
    cvss-score: 5.0
    cve-id: CVE-2003-1365
    cwe-id: CWE-20
  tags: cve,cve-2003-1365,perl,cgi_lite,unknown

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "cgi_lite"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2003-1365.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2003-1365
# Target: perl cgi_lite | CVSS: 5.0 (UNKNOWN)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2003-1365 (perl cgi_lite)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against perl cgi_lite scope (2.0).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2003-1365.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2003-1365
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install cgi_lite 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade cgi_lite 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update cgi_lite

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i cgi_lite 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i cgi_lite

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2003-1365 in perl cgi_lite?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update perl cgi_lite packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2003-1365?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2003-1365?

CVE-2003-1365 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 5.0 (UNKNOWN). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
5.0
UNKNOWN SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2003-1365
Weakness CWE-20
Vendor perl
Product cgi_lite
Published 2003-12-31
Vector AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N