CVE-2026-5081
Apache::Session::Generate::ModUniqueId versions from 1.54 through 1.94 for Perl session ids are insecure
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- CPANSec
Description
Apache::Session::Generate::ModUniqueId versions from 1.54 through 1.94 for Perl session ids are insecure. Apache::Session::Generate::ModUniqueId (added in version 1.54) uses the value of the UNIQUE_ID environment variable for the session id. The UNIQUE_ID variable is set by the Apache mod_unique_id plugin, which generates unique ids for the request. The id is based on the IPv4 address, the process id, the epoch time, a 16-bit counter and a thread index, with no obfuscation. The server IP is often available to the public, and if not available, can be guessed from previous session ids being issued. The process ids may also be guessed from previous session ids. The timestamp is easily guessed (and leaked in the HTTP Date response header). The purpose of mod_unique_id is to assign a unique id to requests so that events can be correlated in different logs. The id is not designed, nor is it suitable for security purposes.
Timeline
ID reserved
By CPANSec
- 39 days later
· 39 days later
Published
- 2 months later
· 2 months later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA-ADPADP (enrichment) | 3.1 | Critical9.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
| redhat-SADPADP (enrichment) | 3.1 | High8.2 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N |
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | Critical9.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.30% · top 77% of all CVEs (7 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: none · Automatable: yes · Technical impact: partial
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Critical 9.1.
Weakness
Affected products
CHORNY · Apache::Session::Generate::ModUniqueId
- affected 1.54 – ≤ 1.94
What to do
Solution: In cases where the session id is used for authentication or provides access to restricted data, consider alternate solutions like Apache::Session::Generate::Random.
References (6)
- https://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/mod/mod_unique_id.html (opens in a new tab)technical-description
- https://metacpan.org/pod/Apache::Session::Generate::Random (opens in a new tab)
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/05/06/6 (opens in a new tab)
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-5081 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2467174 (opens in a new tab)issue-trackingx_refsource_REDHAT
- https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/2026/cve-2026-5081.json (opens in a new tab)x_sadp-csaf-vex
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2026-5081)Record last updated .