# CVE-2025-40920: Catalyst::Authentication::Credential::HTTP versions 1.018 and earlier for Perl use insecurely generated nonces

> Attackers can predict HTTP authentication nonces due to weak UUID generation, potentially bypassing authentication mechanisms in Perl applications.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 17 Jan 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2025-40920, GHSA-5xmm-95mj-42h8, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-40920

## What is CVE-2025-40920?

CVE-2025-40920 is a high-severity vulnerability in ETHER Catalyst::Authentication::Credential::HTTP, published on 11 Aug 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Catalyst::Authentication::Credential::HTTP versions 1.018 and earlier for Perl generate nonces using the Perl Data::UUID library.
  *  Data::UUID does not use a strong cryptographic source for generating UUIDs.
  *  Data::UUID returns v3 UUIDs, which are generated from known information and are unsuitable for security, as per RFC 9562.
  *  The nonces should be generated from a strong cryptographic source, as per RFC 7616.

Weakness: CWE-340 (Generation of Predictable Numbers or Identifiers), CWE-338 (Use of Cryptographically Weak Pseudo-Random Number Generator (PRNG))

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-40920?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-40920?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2025-40920 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-40920 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-40920 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-40920 is a high-severity vulnerability in ETHER Catalyst::Authentication::Credential::HTTP, published on 11 Aug 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-40920 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: ETHER Catalyst::Authentication::Credential::HTTP. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-40920/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-40920/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-40920
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-40920
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-40920

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-40920/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.