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CVE-2024-45293· NVD / CVE Program· CNA GitHub_M

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

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.

HighCVSS 7.5 · v3.1—Proof of concept Fix available
Published
Oct 7, 2024
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
2.8% · 86th percentile
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Report tools

JSON

Action score

31

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
1 / 30 · 2.8%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
proof of concept
Automatable
yes
Technical impact
partial

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
7.5
CNA · GitHub_M
7.5
agree

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Noroxi analysis

No Noroxi analysis for this record yet

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Affected systems

VendorProduct
phpofficephpspreadsheet

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • phpoffice phpspreadsheetbefore 1.29.1
  • phpoffice phpspreadsheet2.0.0 and later · before 2.1.1
  • phpoffice phpspreadsheet2.2.0 and later · before 2.3.0

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • PHPOffice PhpSpreadsheet

    • >= 2.2.0, < 2.3.0, < 1.29.1, >= 2.0.0, < 2.1.1affected

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Packagistphpoffice/phpexcelup to and including 1.8.2—
Packagistphpoffice/phpspreadsheetfrom 2.0.0 · before 2.1.12.1.1
Packagistphpoffice/phpspreadsheetfrom 2.2.0 · before 2.3.02.3.0
Packagistphpoffice/phpspreadsheetbefore 1.29.11.29.1

Same product

phpoffice: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2018-19277securityScan() in PHPOffice PhpSpreadsheet through 1.5.0 allows a bypass of protection mechanisms for XXE via UTF-7 encoding in a .xlsx file
    37Monitor
  • CVE-2026-45034PhpSpreadsheet: File::prohibitWrappers bypass
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2026-34084PhpSpreadsheet SSRF and RCE via PHP stream wrappers in IOFactory::load
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2024-45291Path traversal and Server-Side Request Forgery in HTML writer when embedding images is enabled in PHPSpreadsheet
    35Monitor
  • CVE-2019-12331PHPOffice PhpSpreadsheet before 1.8.0 has an XXE issue.
    35Monitor
  • CVE-2025-54370PhpSpreadsheet vulnerable to SSRF when reading and displaying a processed HTML document in the browser
    34Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Packagist:phpoffice/phpspreadsheet1.29.1Package registry (OSV)
Packagist:phpoffice/phpspreadsheet2.1.1Package registry (OSV)
Packagist:phpoffice/phpspreadsheet2.3.0Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

Proof of concept available

A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.

Evidence

  • Nuclei detection template ×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.

Public exploit evidence
SourceKindDate
Nuclei detection templateNuclei template CVE-2024-45293 —

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.

No dated events beyond publication.

EPSS, last 120 days

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.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

  • CVE-2024-4787342 days apartPhpSpreadsheet XmlScanner bypass leads to XXE
    30Monitor
  • CVE-2024-4891742 days apartXXE in PHPSpreadsheet's XLSX reader
    30Monitor
  • CVE-2024-4504840 days apartXML External Entity Reference (XXE) in PHPSpreadsheet
    26Monitor

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

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
none
Availability
none
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-611 · Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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.

ATT&CK techniques

—

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

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All records