PhpSpreadsheet vulnerable to bypass of the XSS sanitizer using the javascript protocol and special characters
Priority MEDIUM 55CWE-79Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- Active
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Cross-site scripting
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · Low · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-79.
Summary
PhpSpreadsheet is a PHP library for reading and writing spreadsheet files. Versions prior to 3.7.0, 2.3.5, 2.1.6, and 1.29.7 are vulnerable to bypass of the cross-site scripting sanitizer using the javascript protocol and special characters. An attacker can use special characters, so that the library processes the javascript protocol with special characters and generates an HTML link. Versions 3.7.0, 2.3.5, 2.1.6, and 1.29.7 contain a patch for the issue.
Why it matters now
Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.0039 33rd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Fixed PhpSpreadsheet (PHPOffice): 3.7.0, 1.29.7, 2.1.6 +1phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist): 3.7.0, 1.29.7, 2.1.6 +1
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHPOffice | PhpSpreadsheet | 3.0.0 to before 3.7.0; before 1.29.7; 2.0.0 to before 2.1.6; 2.2.0 to before 2.3.5 | 3.7.0, 1.29.7, 2.1.6, 2.3.5 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) | 3.0.0 to before 3.7.0 | 3.7.0 | Patch available | GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r |
| — | phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) | before 1.29.7 | 1.29.7 | Patch available | GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r |
| — | phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) | 2.0.0 to before 2.1.6 | 2.1.6 | Patch available | GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r |
| — | phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) | 2.2.0 to before 2.3.5 | 2.3.5 | Patch available | GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r |
| — | phpoffice/phpexcel (Packagist) | up to 1.8.2 | — | No fix listed | GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r |
- PhpSpreadsheet VendorPHPOffice Affected 3.0.0 to before 3.7.0; before 1.29.7; 2.0.0 to before 2.1.6; 2.2.0 to before 2.3.5 Fixed in 3.7.0, 1.29.7, 2.1.6, 2.3.5 Patch available CNA
- phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Vendor— Affected 3.0.0 to before 3.7.0 Fixed in 3.7.0 Patch available GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r
- phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Vendor— Affected before 1.29.7 Fixed in 1.29.7 Patch available GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r
- phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Vendor— Affected 2.0.0 to before 2.1.6 Fixed in 2.1.6 Patch available GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r
- phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Vendor— Affected 2.2.0 to before 2.3.5 Fixed in 2.3.5 Patch available GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r
- phpoffice/phpexcel (Packagist) Vendor— Affected up to 1.8.2 Fixed in — No fix listed GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:phpoffice:phpspreadsheet:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 1.29.7; 2.0.0 to before 2.1.6; 2.2.0 to before 2.3.5; 3.0.0 to before 3.7.0 | Vulnerable | PHPOffice |
- cpe:2.3:a:phpoffice:phpspreadsheet:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 1.29.7; 2.0.0 to before 2.1.6; 2.2.0 to before 2.3.5; 3.0.0 to before 3.7.0 Vulnerable ·PHPOffice
Remediation
- Fix · CNA PhpSpreadsheet (PHPOffice) Fixed in 3.7.0, 1.29.7, 2.1.6, 2.3.5
- Fix · GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Fixed in 3.7.0 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Fixed in 1.29.7 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Fixed in 2.1.6 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) Fixed in 2.3.5 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-56412
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r
References
More PHPOffice Phpspreadsheet vulnerabilities
- 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
Sources
- CVE-2024-56412 · CVE Program
- CVE-2024-56412 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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