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TI-2024-30365 Aliases CVE-2024-45293GHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88

XML External Entity Reference (XXE) in PHPSpreadsheet's XLSX reader

Priority HIGH 72CWE-611Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Information disclosure
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · None · None
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-611 and the CVSS impact.

Summary

PHPSpreadsheet is a pure PHP library for reading and writing spreadsheet files. The security scanner responsible for preventing XXE attacks in the XLSX reader can be bypassed by slightly modifying the XML structure, utilizing white-spaces. On servers that allow users to upload their own Excel (XLSX) sheets, Server files and sensitive information can be disclosed by providing a crafted sheet. The security scan function in src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Security/XmlScanner.php contains a flawed XML encoding check to retrieve the input file's XML encoding in the toUtf8 function. The function searches for the XML encoding through a defined regex which looks for `encoding="*"` and/or `encoding='*'`, if not found, it defaults to the UTF-8 encoding which bypasses the conversion logic. This logic can be used to pass a UTF-7 encoded XXE payload, by utilizing a whitespace before or after the = in the attribute definition. Sensitive information disclosure through the XXE on sites that allow users to upload their own excel spreadsheets, and parse them using PHPSpreadsheet's Excel parser. This issue has been addressed in release versions 1.29.1, 2.1.1, and 2.3.0. All users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.02776 86th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Fixed PhpSpreadsheet (PHPOffice): 2.3.0, 1.29.1, 2.1.1phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist): 2.3.0, 1.29.1, 2.1.1

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
Poc
Automatable
Yes
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
PHPOfficePhpSpreadsheet2.2.0 to before 2.3.0; before 1.29.1; 2.0.0 to before 2.1.12.3.0, 1.29.1, 2.1.1Patch availableCNA
—phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist)2.2.0 to before 2.3.02.3.0Patch availableGHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88
—phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist)before 1.29.11.29.1Patch availableGHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88
—phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist)2.0.0 to before 2.1.12.1.1Patch availableGHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88
—phpoffice/phpexcel (Packagist)up to 1.8.2—No fix listedGHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88
  • PhpSpreadsheet VendorPHPOffice Affected 2.2.0 to before 2.3.0; before 1.29.1; 2.0.0 to before 2.1.1 Fixed in 2.3.0, 1.29.1, 2.1.1 Patch available CNA
  • phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Vendor— Affected 2.2.0 to before 2.3.0 Fixed in 2.3.0 Patch available GHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88
  • phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Vendor— Affected before 1.29.1 Fixed in 1.29.1 Patch available GHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88
  • phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Vendor— Affected 2.0.0 to before 2.1.1 Fixed in 2.1.1 Patch available GHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88
  • phpoffice/phpexcel (Packagist) Vendor— Affected up to 1.8.2 Fixed in — No fix listed GHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:phpoffice:phpspreadsheet:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*before 1.29.1; 2.0.0 to before 2.1.1; 2.2.0 to before 2.3.0VulnerablePHPOffice
  • cpe:2.3:a:phpoffice:phpspreadsheet:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 1.29.1; 2.0.0 to before 2.1.1; 2.2.0 to before 2.3.0 Vulnerable ·PHPOffice

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA PhpSpreadsheet (PHPOffice) Fixed in 2.3.0, 1.29.1, 2.1.1
  • Fix · GHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88 phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Fixed in 2.3.0 Advisory →
  • Fix · GHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88 phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Fixed in 1.29.1 Advisory →
  • Fix · GHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88 phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Fixed in 2.1.1 Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-45293
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-6hwr-6v2f-3m88

References

Exploit 1

Advisory 1

Other 4

  • TI-2026-26406 PhpSpreadsheet SSRF and RCE via PHP stream wrappers in IOFactory::load CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.2
  • TI-2024-37339 PhpSpreadsheet vulnerable to unauthorized reflected XSS in Currency.php file CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.3
  • TI-2024-37338 PhpSpreadsheet allows unauthorized reflected XSS in `Convert-Online.php` file CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.3
  • TI-2024-37325 PhpSpreadsheet vulnerable to unauthorized reflected XSS in the Accounting.php file CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.3
  • TI-2024-37324 PhpSpreadsheet vulnerable to unauthorized reflected XSS in the constructor of the Downloader class CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.3
  • TI-2024-30160 XML External Entity Reference (XXE) in PHPSpreadsheet CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
See all 24 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences