CVE-2024-45046: Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-wgmf-q9vr-vww6
Share
CVSS 5.4
CWE-79
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2024-45046 is a MODERATE (CVSS 5.4) cross-site scripting vulnerability (CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')) affecting Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet libraries in the Packagist ecosystem. The issue involves phpspreadsheet html writer is vulnerable to cross-site scripting via style information. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.1.0, 1.29.1.

CVE-2024-45046 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2024-45046
GHSA Identifier GHSA-wgmf-q9vr-vww6
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 5.4
CWE Classification CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Affected Product Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet
Package Ecosystem Packagist
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 5.4

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction Required (UI:R)
Scope Changed (S:C)
Confidentiality Low (C:L)
Integrity Low (I:L)
Availability None (A:N)

How to Fix CVE-2024-45046

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

phpoffice/phpspreadsheet fixed: 2.1.0 
Upgrade phpoffice/phpspreadsheet to 2.1.0
phpoffice/phpspreadsheet fixed: 1.29.1 
Upgrade phpoffice/phpspreadsheet to 1.29.1
phpoffice/phpexcel fixed: Latest secure release 
Upgrade phpoffice/phpexcel to Latest secure release
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

inspect dependencies for phpoffice/phpspreadsheet

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2024-45046, inspect your project dependencies for Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet:

inspect dependencies for phpoffice/phpspreadsheet

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.1.0), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting'), where the product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. In Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

### Summary `\PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Writer\Html` doesn't sanitize spreadsheet styling information such as font names, allowing an attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript on the page. ### PoC Example target script: ``` <?php require 'vendor/autoload.php'; $reader = \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\IOFactory::createReader("Xlsx"); $spreadsheet = $reader->load(__DIR__ . '/book.xlsx'); $writer = new \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Writer\Html($spreadsheet); print($writer->generateHTMLAll()); ``` Save this file in the same directory: [book.xlsx](https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/files/15212797/book.xlsx) Open index.php in a web browser. An alert should be displayed. ### Impact Full takeover of the session of users viewing spreadsheet files as HTML.

CVE-2024-45046 Affected Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet Versions

3 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.1.01.29.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
phpoffice/phpspreadsheet
 Packagist
≥ 2.0.0
< 2.1.0
2.1.0
phpoffice/phpspreadsheet
 Packagist
< 1.29.1
1.29.1
phpoffice/phpexcel
 Packagist
≤ 1.8.2

References

GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/security/advisories/GHSA-wgmf-q9vr-vww6
NVD — CVE-2024-45046 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-45046
Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/pull/3957
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/commit/f7cf378faed2e11cf4825bf8bafea4922ae44667
Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2024-45046?
CVE-2024-45046 is a security vulnerability in Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet involving PhpSpreadsheet HTML writer is vulnerable to Cross-Site Scripting via style information under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting').
Which Phpoffice/phpspreadsheet versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.1.0, 1.29.1 across affected packages: phpoffice/phpspreadsheet, phpoffice/phpexcel.
What version fixes CVE-2024-45046?
Upgrading to 2.1.0, 1.29.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is phpoffice/phpspreadsheet affected?
Yes, phpoffice/phpspreadsheet is affected in releases prior to 2.1.0, 1.29.1. Upgrade your dependency to 2.1.0, 1.29.1 or later.
Is phpoffice/phpexcel affected?
Yes, phpoffice/phpexcel is affected in releases prior to Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to Latest secure release or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2024-45046?
CVE-2024-45046 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 5.4 (MODERATE) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2024-45046?
CVE-2024-45046 is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') (The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.).
How can I check Packagist dependencies for CVE-2024-45046?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for phpoffice/phpspreadsheet'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-wgmf-q9vr-vww6",
  "modified" : "2025-03-06T18:09:33Z",
  "published" : "2024-08-29T17:56:56Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2024-45046" ],
  "summary" : "PhpSpreadsheet HTML writer is vulnerable to Cross-Site Scripting via style information",
  "details" : "### Summary\n\n`\\PhpOffice\\PhpSpreadsheet\\Writer\\Html` doesn't sanitize spreadsheet styling information such as font names, allowing an attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript on the page.\n\n### PoC\n\nExample target script:\n\n```\n<?php\n\nrequire 'vendor/autoload.php';\n\n$reader = \\PhpOffice\\PhpSpreadsheet\\IOFactory::createReader(\"Xlsx\");\n$spreadsheet = $reader->load(__DIR__ . '/book.xlsx');\n\n$writer = new \\PhpOffice\\PhpSpreadsheet\\Writer\\Html($spreadsheet);\nprint($writer->generateHTMLAll());\n```\n\nSave this file in the same directory:\n[book.xlsx](https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/files/15212797/book.xlsx)\n\nOpen index.php in a web browser. An alert should be displayed.\n\n### Impact\n\nFull takeover of the session of users viewing spreadsheet files as HTML.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N"
  }, {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:L/SI:L/SA:N"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Packagist",
      "name" : "phpoffice/phpspreadsheet"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.1.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Packagist",
      "name" : "phpoffice/phpspreadsheet"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.29.1"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Packagist",
      "name" : "phpoffice/phpexcel"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "1.8.2"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/security/advisories/GHSA-wgmf-q9vr-vww6"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-45046"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/pull/3957"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/commit/f7cf378faed2e11cf4825bf8bafea4922ae44667"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-79" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2024-08-29T17:56:56Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2024-08-28T21:15:06Z"
  }
}