CVE-2025-40918: Authen::SASL::Perl::DIGEST_MD5 versions 2.04 through 2.1800 for Perl generates the cnonce insecurely
Source GCVE Database
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 6.5 Medium.
Data as of 4 Nov 2026, 17:54 UTC
Thin evidence
One scorer or none| CISA-ADP | CVSS 3.1 | 6.5 |
|---|
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:NExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 16 Jul 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 4 Nov 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
Until a fix is released, users should consider alternative authentication methods or implement additional controls to mitigate risks associated with weak cnonce generation.
Description
Authen::SASL::Perl::DIGEST_MD5 versions 2.04 through 2.1800 for Perl generate the client nonce (cnonce) insecurely by using an MD5 hash of predictable values including process ID, epoch time, and a non-cryptographic random function. This weak entropy in cnonce generation can undermine the security guarantees of the DIGEST_MD5 authentication mechanism.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-40918 (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/gbarr/perl-authen-sasl/pull/22 (opens in a new tab)
- datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc2831 (opens in a new tab)
- metacpan.org/dist/Authen-SASL/source/lib/Authen/SASL/Perl/DIGEST_MD5.pm (opens in a new tab)
- metacpan.org/release/EHUELS/Authen-SASL-2.1900/changes (opens in a new tab)
- security.metacpan.org/patches/A/Authen-SASL/2.1800/CVE-2025-40918-r1.patch (opens in a new tab)
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/07/16/5 (opens in a new tab)