#!/usr/bin/perl -t
use CGI;
my $q = CGI->new;
$session{"user_id"}=$userid;
$session{"password"}=$passwd;
$session{"timecode"}=$time;
$cookie = $q->cookie(-name=>'sessionID',
             -value=>\%session,
             -expires=>'+6h',
             -secure=>0);
print $q->redirect(-uri=>"index.cgi",
           -cookie=>$cookie);
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Always use '-t' mode for your cgi scripts, it instructs Perl to taint any outside input. Also remember, anything you put in a cookie is stored in plain text unless you encrypt it before you place it in the cookie.