Arbitrary Code Execution (ACE) Vulnerability
Spreadsheet::ParseExcel version 0.65 is a Perl module used for parsing Excel files. Spreadsheet::ParseExcel is vulnerable to an arbitrary code execution (ACE) vulnerability due to passing unvalidated input from a file into a string-type “eval”. Specifically, the issue stems from the evaluation of Number format strings (not to be confused with printf-style format strings) within the Excel parsing logic.
- Published
- Dec 24, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 19.1% · 97th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-95
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Report tools
Action score
67
This week
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- CVSS
- 31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 30 / 30 · Listed
- EPSS
- 6 / 30 · 19.1%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- active
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Actively exploited in the wild
CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Jan 2, 2024. That signals real attacks, not theory.
Remediation deadline for government agencies: Jan 23, 2024.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities in the database; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| jmcnamara | spreadsheet\ | cpe:2.3:a:jmcnamara:spreadsheet\ |
| debian | debian linux | cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux |
| fedoraproject | fedora | cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- debian debian linux10.0
- fedoraproject fedora38
- fedoraproject fedora39
- jmcnamara spreadsheet::parseexcelup to 0.65 inclusive
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (Mandiant). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Douglas Wilson Spreadsheet::ParseExcel
- 0.65affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:10 | libspreadsheet-parseexcel-perl | before 0.6500-1+deb10u1 | 0.6500-1+deb10u1 |
| Debian:11 | libspreadsheet-parseexcel-perl | before 0.6500-1.1+deb11u1 | 0.6500-1.1+deb11u1 |
| Debian:12 | libspreadsheet-parseexcel-perl | before 0.6500-4~deb12u1 | 0.6500-4~deb12u1 |
| Debian:13 | libspreadsheet-parseexcel-perl | before 0.6500-4 | 0.6500-4 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | perl-Spreadsheet-ParseExcel | before 0.660.0-1.1 | 0.660.0-1.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5 | perl-Spreadsheet-ParseExcel | before 0.65-150000.3.3.1 | 0.65-150000.3.3.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5 | perl-Spreadsheet-ParseExcel | before 0.65-150000.3.3.1 | 0.65-150000.3.3.1 |
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:libspreadsheet-parseexcel-perl | 0.6500-4~deb12u1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:perl-Spreadsheet-ParseExcel | 0.65-150000.3.3.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.5 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:perl-Spreadsheet-ParseExcel | 0.65-150000.3.3.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP5 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Metasploit module ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit module | exploit/linux/smtp/barracuda_esg_spreadsheet_rceBarracuda ESG Spreadsheet::ParseExcel Arbitrary Code Executionexploit | 2023-12-24 |
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
- Metasploit-1 d
- Published
- CISA KEV+8 d
- TodaySep 30, 2026+1011 d
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- A user must open a link or visit a page.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-95 · Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code ('Eval Injection')CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/12/29/4
- github.com/jmcnamara/spreadsheet-parseexcel/blob/c7298592e102a375d43150cd002feed806557c15/lib/Spreadsheet/ParseExcel/Utility.pm#L171
- github.com/mandiant/Vulnerability-Disclosures/blob/master/2023/MNDT-2023-0019.md
- https://github.com/haile01/perl_spreadsheet_excel_rce_poc
- https://github.com/jmcnamara/spreadsheet-parseexcel/commit/bd3159277e745468e2c553417b35d5d7dc7405bc
- https://metacpan.org/dist/Spreadsheet-ParseExcel
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-7101
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00025.html
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/IFEHKULQRVXHIV7XXK2RGD4VQN6Y4CV5/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/M2FIWDHRYTAAQLGM6AFOZVM7AFZ4H2ZR/
- security.metacpan.org/2024/02/10/vulnerable-spreadsheet-parsing-modules.html
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-7101
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.