Description
Perl versions from 5.9.4 before 5.40.4-RC1, from 5.41.0 before 5.42.2-RC1, from 5.43.0 before 5.43.9 contain a vulnerable version of Compress::Raw::Zlib. Compress::Raw::Zlib is included in the Perl package as a dual-life core module, and is vulnerable to CVE-2026-3381 due to a vendored version of zlib which has several vulnerabilities, including CVE-2026-27171. The bundled Compress::Raw::Zlib was updated to version 2.221 in Perl blead commit c75ae9cc164205e1b6d6dbd57bd2c65c8593fe94.
Problem types
CWE-1395 Dependency on Vulnerable Third-Party Component
Product status
5.9.4 (custom) before 5.40.4-RC1
5.41.0 (custom) before 5.42.2-RC1
5.43.0 (custom) before 5.43.9
Timeline
| 2026-02-27: | Compress::Raw::Zlib 2.221 committed to Perl blead. |
| 2026-03-07: | CVE-2026-3381 published for Compress::Raw::Zlib. |
| 2026-03-14: | CVE-2026-4176 reserved. |
| 2026-03-29: | Perl 5.40.4 and 5.42.2 released. |
Credits
Bernhard Schmalhofer
References
www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/03/30/2
www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-3381
lists.security.metacpan.org/cve-announce/msg/37638919/
github.com/...ommit/c75ae9cc164205e1b6d6dbd57bd2c65c8593fe94
metacpan.org/.../PMQS/Compress-Raw-Zlib-2.221/source/Changes
metacpan.org/release/SHAY/perl-5.40.4/changes
metacpan.org/release/SHAY/perl-5.42.2/changes