CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-45290NVD status: Analyzed

PhpSpreadsheet: Absolute Path Traversal

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2024-45290 is a high-severity absolute path traversal vulnerability in PhpSpreadsheet from PHPOffice, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 1.29.2, 2.1.1, 2.3.0 as the first without the flaw, so updating PhpSpreadsheet to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.63% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 51% of scored CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update PhpSpreadsheet to 1.29.2 or 2.1.1 or 2.3.0, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  3. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
PHPOfficePhpSpreadsheet< 1.29.2; >= 2.0.0, < 2.1.1; >= 2.2.0, < 2.3.0; before 1.29.2; 2.0.0 up to, but not including, 2.1.1; 2.2.0 up to, but not including, 2.3.01.29.2, 2.1.1, 2.3.0

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
NoneNo account or login is needed.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
NoneNothing can be modified.
Availability
NoneAvailability is not affected.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.17.7HighCNA (github.com)
CVSS 3.17.5HighNVD

Official description

PHPSpreadsheet is a pure PHP library for reading and writing spreadsheet files. It's possible for an attacker to construct an XLSX file which links media from external URLs. When opening the XLSX file, PhpSpreadsheet retrieves the image size and type by reading the file contents, if the provided path is a URL. By using specially crafted `php://filter` URLs an attacker can leak the contents of any file or URL. Note that this vulnerability is different from GHSA-w9xv-qf98-ccq4, and resides in a different component. An attacker can access any file on the server, or leak information form arbitrary URLs, potentially exposing sensitive information such as AWS IAM credentials. This issue has been addressed in release versions 1.29.2, 2.1.1, and 2.3.0. All users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Absolute Path Traversal

The product uses external input to construct a pathname that should be within a restricted directory, but it does not properly neutralize absolute path sequences such as /abs/path that can resolve to a location that is outside of that directory.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.
  • Use an application firewall that can detect attacks against this weakness. It can be beneficial in cases in which the code cannot be fixed (because it is controlled by a third party), as an emergency prevention measure while more comprehensive software assurance measures are applied, or to provide defense in depth.

More Absolute Path Traversal vulnerabilities (CWE-36)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Other vulnerabilities in PhpSpreadsheet

All PhpSpreadsheet vulnerabilities

Recent Absolute Path Traversal vulnerabilities

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