Full $cfg structure: $VAR1 = [ { 'C:\wamp\www\password.ini' => { 'password' => { 'password' => 'mypass' } } } ]; Password: HASH(0x7f9a03843da8) #### [password] password=mypass [other_section] other_key=other_value #### Full $cfg structure: $VAR1 = [ { './pm_config_any.ini' => { 'other_section' => { 'other_key' => 'other_value' }, 'password' => { 'password' => 'mypass' } } } ]; #### say q{Password: }, $cfg->[0]{$pw_ini_file}{password}{password}; #### my $ini_password = $cfg->[0]{$pw_ini_file}{password}{password}; say $ini_password;