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CVE-2026-49145 CPAN Security Group
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CVE ID: CVE-2026-49145
Distribution: ack
Versions: through 3.10.0
MetaCPAN: https://metacpan.org/dist/ack
VCS Repo: https://github.com/beyondgrep/ack3
App::Ack versions through 3.10.0 for Perl read arbitrary files via
--files-from in a project .ackrc
Description
-----------
App::Ack versions through 3.10.0 for Perl read arbitrary files via
--files-from in a project .ackrc.
ack searches up the directory hierarchy from the current directory for
a project .ackrc and loads its options. The project-source option
blocklist in App::Ack::ConfigLoader does not include --files-from, so a
project .ackrc can set it to a path whose listed files ack then reads
and searches. Version 3.10.0 added --follow to the blocklist;
--files-from remains accepted.
A project .ackrc committed to an untrusted repository can make ack read
files outside the project and print their matching lines.
Problem types
-------------
- CWE-73 External Control of File Name or Path
- CWE-426 Untrusted Search Path
Workarounds
-----------
Run ack with --noenv, or avoid running ack in a directory tree that
contains an untrusted .ackrc.
Solutions
---------
Upgrade to a future ack release.
References
----------
https://metacpan.org/release/PETDANCE/ack-v3.10.0/source/Changes
Timeline
--------
- 2026-06-07: Version 3.10.0 released with partial fix for the --follow
option.
Credits
-------
Michał Majchrowicz (AFINE), finder
Marcin Wyczechowski (AFINE), finder
