CVE-2003-0900: Perl 5.8.1 on Fedora Core does not properly initialize the random number generator when forking, which makes i

Routine

MEDIUM 5.0DOWNGRADE

CVE-2003-0900 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 5.0) affecting perl. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

Perl 5.8.1 on Fedora Core does not properly initialize the random number generator when forking, which makes it easier for attackers to predict random numbers.

Why this priority

No elevated risk signals yet

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

Risk facts

CVSS score	5.0 (Medium)
EPSS exploit chance	1.4% (top 27%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2003-12-31
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

2003-12-31 05:00 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 22:03 UTCUpdated Record last modified

larry wall perl DOWNGRADE

Affected: 5.8.1

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 5.8.1

1. Check installed version

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

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 5.8.1 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison perl sudo apt install perl=<VERSION_BEFORE_5.8.1> sudo apt-mark hold perl

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

dnf --showduplicates list perl sudo dnf downgrade perl-<VERSION_BEFORE_5.8.1> 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.

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-2003-0900?

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

Is CVE-2003-0900 being exploited?

CVE-2003-0900 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-2003-0900 affect?

CVE-2003-0900 affects perl. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.0). Perl 5.8.1 on Fedora Core does not properly initialize the random number generator when forking, which makes it easier for attackers to predict random numbers.

How urgent is CVE-2003-0900?

Priority 36/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

Software pages

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References

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