---
id: "CVE-2026-87768"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2026-87768"]
title: "DateTime::Lite for Perl: huge seconds value can exhaust CPU"
severity: "medium"
cvss: null
epss: null
exploited: false
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: []
ecosystems: []
tags: ["cpan", "datetime-lite", "package", "perl"]
not_affected_if: ["floating-time-zone", "no-user-controlled-seconds"]
published_at: "2026-10-30T13:20:15+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-30T13:30:28+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-30T13:32:15+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-87768", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-30T13:30:28+00:00"}]
---

# DateTime::Lite for Perl: huge seconds value can exhaust CPU

DateTime::Lite before 0.8.1 loops once per day when adding seconds to a date with a fixed time zone, so a large value keeps the CPU busy. An attacker who controls the number of seconds added can hold the process for as long as they choose.

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

## How to check

- Check the installed DateTime::Lite version with `perl -MDateTime::Lite -e 'print $DateTime::Lite::VERSION'`
- Search dependencies for `DateTime::Lite` (for example `cpanm --info DateTime::Lite` or your `cpanfile` / `Makefile.PL`)

## Fix

- DateTime::Lite: move to `0.8.1` or later

## Timeline

- 2026-10-30T13:30:28+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-87768

## From the sources

DateTime::Lite versions before 0.8.1 for Perl allow CPU exhaustion via a per-day loop when adding seconds.

_normalize_leap_seconds crosses day boundaries one day at a time, so add(seconds => $n) on an object with a non-floating time zone takes about |$n|/86400 iterations, and nothing limits $n. The XS implementation and the pure-Perl fallback both have the loop.

An attacker who controls the number of seconds added can keep the process busy for as long as they choose.

---

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