diff --git a/bbot/core/helpers/misc.py b/bbot/core/helpers/misc.py
index 8e357378a..002303f30 100644
--- a/bbot/core/helpers/misc.py
+++ b/bbot/core/helpers/misc.py
@@ -1200,3 +1200,39 @@ def weighted_shuffle(items, weights):
         shuffled_items.append(chosen_item)
 
     return shuffled_items
+
+
+def parse_port_string(port_string):
+    elements = port_string.split(",")
+    ports = []
+
+    for element in elements:
+        if element.isdigit():
+            port = int(element)
+            if 1 <= port <= 65535:
+                ports.append(port)
+            else:
+                raise ValueError(f"Invalid port: {element}")
+        elif "-" in element:
+            range_parts = element.split("-")
+            if len(range_parts) != 2 or not all(part.isdigit() for part in range_parts):
+                raise ValueError(f"Invalid port or port range: {element}")
+            start, end = map(int, range_parts)
+            if not (1 <= start < end <= 65535):
+                raise ValueError(f"Invalid port range: {element}")
+            ports.extend(range(start, end + 1))
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(f"Invalid port or port range: {element}")
+
+    return ports
+
+
+def parse_list_string(list_string):
+    elements = list_string.split(",")
+    result = []
+
+    for element in elements:
+        if any((c in '<>:"/\\|?*') or (ord(c) < 32 and c != " ") for c in element):
+            raise ValueError(f"Invalid character in string: {element}")
+        result.append(element)
+    return result
diff --git a/bbot/modules/deadly/ffuf.py b/bbot/modules/deadly/ffuf.py
index 709b1d1be..2ef1938f9 100644
--- a/bbot/modules/deadly/ffuf.py
+++ b/bbot/modules/deadly/ffuf.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from bbot.modules.base import BaseModule
+from bbot.core.helpers.misc import parse_list_string
 
 import random
 import string
@@ -54,7 +55,12 @@ async def setup(self):
         self.wordlist_lines = list(self.helpers.read_file(self.wordlist))
         self.tempfile, tempfile_len = self.generate_templist()
         self.verbose(f"Generated dynamic wordlist with length [{str(tempfile_len)}]")
-        self.extensions = self.config.get("extensions", "")
+        try:
+            self.extensions = parse_list_string(self.config.get("extensions", ""))
+            self.critical(f"Using custom extensions: [{','.join(self.extensions)}]")
+        except ValueError as e:
+            self.warning(f"Error parsing extensions: {e}")
+            return False
         return True
 
     async def handle_event(self, event):
@@ -72,7 +78,7 @@ async def handle_event(self, event):
 
         exts = ["", "/"]
         if self.extensions:
-            for ext in self.extensions.split(","):
+            for ext in self.extensions:
                 exts.append(f".{ext}")
 
         filters = await self.baseline_ffuf(fixed_url, exts=exts)
diff --git a/bbot/modules/ffuf_shortnames.py b/bbot/modules/ffuf_shortnames.py
index d181319f0..3ac991967 100644
--- a/bbot/modules/ffuf_shortnames.py
+++ b/bbot/modules/ffuf_shortnames.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import string
 
 from bbot.modules.deadly.ffuf import ffuf
+from bbot.core.helpers.misc import parse_list_string
 
 
 def find_common_prefixes(strings, minimum_set_length=4):
@@ -86,7 +87,14 @@ async def setup(self):
             wordlist_extensions = f"{self.helpers.wordlist_dir}/raft-small-extensions-lowercase_CLEANED.txt"
         self.debug(f"Using [{wordlist_extensions}] for shortname candidate extension list")
         self.wordlist_extensions = await self.helpers.wordlist(wordlist_extensions)
-        self.extensions = self.config.get("extensions")
+
+        try:
+            self.extensions = parse_list_string(self.config.get("extensions", ""))
+            self.critical(f"Using custom extensions: [{','.join(self.extensions)}]")
+        except ValueError as e:
+            self.warning(f"Error parsing extensions: {e}")
+            return False
+
         self.ignore_redirects = self.config.get("ignore_redirects")
 
         self.per_host_collection = {}
diff --git a/bbot/modules/internal/speculate.py b/bbot/modules/internal/speculate.py
index 1e00d1bdb..0e2b6b9ce 100644
--- a/bbot/modules/internal/speculate.py
+++ b/bbot/modules/internal/speculate.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import random
 import ipaddress
 
+from bbot.core.helpers.misc import parse_port_string
 from bbot.modules.internal.base import BaseInternalModule
 
 
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ class speculate(BaseInternalModule):
     flags = ["passive"]
     meta = {"description": "Derive certain event types from others by common sense"}
 
-    options = {"max_hosts": 65536, "ports": [80, 443]}
+    options = {"max_hosts": 65536, "ports": "80,443"}
     options_desc = {
         "max_hosts": "Max number of IP_RANGE hosts to convert into IP_ADDRESS events",
         "ports": "The set of ports to speculate on",
@@ -40,9 +41,14 @@ async def setup(self):
         self.range_to_ip = True
         self.dns_resolution = self.scan.config.get("dns_resolution", True)
 
-        self.ports = self.config.get("ports", [80, 443])
-        if isinstance(self.ports, int):
-            self.ports = [self.ports]
+        port_string = self.config.get("ports", "80,443")
+
+        try:
+            self.ports = parse_port_string(port_string)
+        except ValueError as e:
+            self.warning(f"Error parsing ports: {e}")
+            return False
+
         if not self.portscanner_enabled:
             self.info(f"No portscanner enabled. Assuming open ports: {', '.join(str(x) for x in self.ports)}")
 
diff --git a/bbot/test/test_step_1/test_helpers.py b/bbot/test/test_step_1/test_helpers.py
index f7dd72c57..87bf518a1 100644
--- a/bbot/test/test_step_1/test_helpers.py
+++ b/bbot/test/test_step_1/test_helpers.py
@@ -580,3 +580,67 @@ async def async_gen():
         except StopIteration:
             break
     assert l == [0, 1, 2, 3, 4]
+
+
+# test parse_port_string helper
+
+
+def test_portparse_singleports(helpers):
+    assert helpers.parse_port_string("80,443,22") == [80, 443, 22]
+
+
+def test_portparse_range_valid(helpers):
+    assert helpers.parse_port_string("80,443,22,1000-1002") == [80, 443, 22, 1000, 1001, 1002]
+
+
+def test_portparse_invalidport(helpers):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as e:
+        helpers.parse_port_string("80,443,22,70000")
+    assert str(e.value) == "Invalid port: 70000"
+
+
+def test_portparse_range_invalid(helpers):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as e:
+        helpers.parse_port_string("80,443,22,1000-70000")
+    assert str(e.value) == "Invalid port range: 1000-70000"
+
+
+def test_portparse_range_morethantwoparts(helpers):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as e:
+        helpers.parse_port_string("80,443,22,1000-1001-1002")
+    assert str(e.value) == "Invalid port or port range: 1000-1001-1002"
+
+
+def test_portparse_range_startgreaterthanend(helpers):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as e:
+        helpers.parse_port_string("80,443,22,1002-1000")
+    assert str(e.value) == "Invalid port range: 1002-1000"
+
+
+def test_portparse_nonnumericinput(helpers):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as e:
+        helpers.parse_port_string("80,443,22,foo")
+    assert str(e.value) == "Invalid port or port range: foo"
+
+
+# test parse_list_string helper
+
+
+def test_liststring_valid_strings(helpers):
+    assert helpers.parse_list_string("hello,world,bbot") == ["hello", "world", "bbot"]
+
+
+def test_liststring_invalid_string(helpers):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as e:
+        helpers.parse_list_string("hello,world,\x01")
+    assert str(e.value) == "Invalid character in string: \x01"
+
+
+def test_liststring_singleitem(helpers):
+    assert helpers.parse_list_string("hello") == ["hello"]
+
+
+def test_liststring_invalidfnchars(helpers):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as e:
+        helpers.parse_list_string("hello,world,bbot|test")
+    assert str(e.value) == "Invalid character in string: bbot|test"