CVE-2020-16155Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Package substitution via author-agnostic signed manifests

Published Dec 13, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Signed-data ambiguity in CPAN::Checksums 2.12 allows remote authenticated users to substitute malicious Perl packages through a mirror. The CHECKSUMS generator signs file names and hashes without the author-directory path, so a manifest from one PAUSE account can identify another author's same-named archive. The attack requires PAUSE author access and a malicious mirror or network position; affected clients can accept attacker-controlled code as another author's package.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.96%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Signed-data ambiguity in CPAN::Checksums 2.12 allows remote authenticated users to substitute malicious Perl packages through a mirror. The CHECKSUMS generator signs file names and hashes without the author-directory path, so a manifest from one PAUSE account can identify another author's same-named archive. The attack requires PAUSE author access and a malicious mirror or network position; affected clients can accept attacker-controlled code as another author's package.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-16155
Published
Dec 13, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1195.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 13, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
4.0NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1195.002Compromise Software Supply Chain

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo