CVE-2000-0703: suidperl (aka sperl) does not properly cleanse the escape sequence "~!" before calling /bin/mail to send an er

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HIGH 7.2DOWNGRADE

CVE-2000-0703 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.2) affecting perl. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

suidperl (aka sperl) does not properly cleanse the escape sequence "~!" before calling /bin/mail to send an error report, which allows local users to gain privileges by setting the "interactive" environmental variable and calling suidperl with a filename that contains the escape sequence.

Why this priority

High severity
Public exploit reference

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.2 (High)
EPSS exploit chance	1.1% (top 35%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2000-10-20
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: larry wall

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2000-10-20 04:00 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 21:52 UTCUpdated Record last modified

larry wall perl DOWNGRADE

Affected: 5.4.5 · 5.5 · 5.5.3 · 5.6

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 5.4.5

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy perl || rpm -q perl || perl --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 5.4.5 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison perl sudo apt install perl=<VERSION_BEFORE_5.4.5> sudo apt-mark hold perl

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list perl sudo dnf downgrade perl-<VERSION_BEFORE_5.4.5> sudo dnf versionlock add perl

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Public exploits and detection

Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.

Exploit-DB: SUIDPerl 5.00503 - Mail Shell Escape (1)
Exploit-DB: SUIDPerl 5.00503 - Mail Shell Escape (2)

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2000-0703?

perl: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2000-0703 being exploited?

CVE-2000-0703 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2000-0703 affect?

CVE-2000-0703 affects perl. Severity is high (CVSS 7.2). suidperl (aka sperl) does not properly cleanse the escape sequence "~!" before calling /bin/mail to send an error report, which allows local users to gain privileges by setting the "interactive" environmental variable and calling suidperl w

How urgent is CVE-2000-0703?

Priority 46/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

Software pages

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References

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