---
id: "CVE-2026-121265"
page: "https://infrastack.ai/live/CVE-2026-121265"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-121265"]
title: "SQL::Abstract for Perl: arrayref column values allow SQL injection in insert and update"
severity: "unknown"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["dbi", "package", "perl", "sql-abstract", "web-apps"]
not_affected_if: ["array-datatypes-on", "fixed-values-only", "no-request-data-in-columns"]
published_at: "2026-11-07T12:17:44+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-11-07T12:47:09+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-11-07T12:49:15+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-121265", "first_seen_at": "2026-11-07T12:47:09+00:00"}]
exploit_sources: []
---

# SQL::Abstract for Perl: arrayref column values allow SQL injection in insert and update

Link for people: https://infrastack.ai/live/CVE-2026-121265 (this .md is for agents)

SQL::Abstract, a Perl library that builds SQL queries, treats an array value passed as a column value as raw SQL text by default, so its first element goes into the query unescaped. An attacker who controls request data passed to insert or update can inject SQL and read or change database contents.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## How to check

- Look for `SQL::Abstract` in `cpanfile`, `Makefile.PL`, or the installed module version with `perl -MSQL::Abstract -e 'print $SQL::Abstract::VERSION'`
- Find code that passes request or form data directly as column values to `insert`, `update` or `values` with default options
- Check whether `array_datatypes` is set; the default is off, which is the affected setting

## Fix

- SQL::Abstract: move to `2.000003` or later

## Timeline

- 2026-11-07T12:47:09+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-121265

## From the sources

SQL::Abstract versions before 2.000003 for Perl allow SQL injection via an arrayref column value in insert and update.

With the array_datatypes option off, which is the default, insert(), update() and values() treat an arrayref column value as literal SQL. Its first element goes into the SQL text unescaped and the rest become bind values. A JSON array, or a repeated form field decoded as an arrayref, is such a value.

An application that passes request data as column values to insert or update with the default options allows SQL injection.

Releases before 2.000003 also treat an arrayref in generate() as literal SQL, including through AUTOLOAD when allow_autoload is on, whatever array_datatypes is set to.

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