What's the vulnerability?
Net::CIDR::Set versions before 0.23 for Perl allow memory exhaustion and malformed set ranges via unbounded IPv6 prefix lengths. The _encode method accepts any prefix length matching `(0|[1-9][0-9]*)` and passes it to _width2bits(), which builds the mask as `'1' x ($width + 8)`, one character per bit. The _inc() method then unpacks the packed mask into a Perl array of one scalar per byte, so the prefix length alone sets the allocation size: `::/100000000` builds a 100 MB string and a 12.5 million element array. The value being tested is parsed, not just the configured ranges: contains() builds a set from its argument, and _guess_coder() tries the IPv4 coder and then the IPv6 coder, so an IPv4-only set expands an oversized IPv6 prefix length before the mixed address width check rejects it. Any caller that passes untrusted input to contains() or add() can exhaust process memory. A prefix length above 128 is also stored as a range that does not match the requested block: 2001:db8::/129 stringifies back unchanged, contains() of its own base address returns false, and removing it from a set drops the base address while the set still prints as covering it.
Business impact & how R4IM helps
This advisory is on our active-exploitation watchlist. Attackers are using it for initial access, privilege escalation or lateral movement in real-world intrusions. R4IM's offensive security and SOC teams already have detections, exploit replicas and remediation playbooks for this issue.
Targeted vulnerability assessment to confirm which of your assets are actually exploitable — not just theoretically affected.
Our pentesters chain this CVE into realistic attack paths so you see business impact, not just a scan finding.
If the affected product is internet-facing, our AppSec team will harden it against this and related OWASP-class issues.
Continuous monitoring with custom detections for this CVE deployed across your endpoints, identity and cloud.
Recommended remediation
- Inventory all assets running the affected vendor and product, including shadow IT and third-party hosted instances.
- Apply the vendor patch or mitigation referenced in the advisories below. Where no patch exists, isolate the asset or restrict network exposure.
- Hunt for indicators of prior compromise — exploitation of this class of bug often predates public disclosure.
- Deploy detections for the exploit primitives (network signature, EDR rule, WAF rule) and re-test after remediation.
Need help executing these steps? Our team typically completes validation and remediation within a single patch cycle. Request remediation support →
Vendor & research references
- https://github.com/robrwo/perl-Net-CIDR-Set/commit/e16b27db676fd1ca671fbb31208a22c1b1ba9724.patch · 9b29abf9-4ab0-4765-b253-1875cd9b441e
- https://github.com/robrwo/perl-Net-CIDR-Set/security/advisories/GHSA-grjr-r4x5-mx4p · 9b29abf9-4ab0-4765-b253-1875cd9b441e
- https://metacpan.org/release/RRWO/Net-CIDR-Set-0.23/changes · 9b29abf9-4ab0-4765-b253-1875cd9b441e
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-49942 · 9b29abf9-4ab0-4765-b253-1875cd9b441e
