How severe is CVE-2026-42589?

CVE-2026-42589 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10, rated CRITICAL. Immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Which products are affected by CVE-2026-42589?

Affected package information for CVE-2026-42589 is not yet fully mapped. Check the official advisory links for details.

How do I patch CVE-2026-42589?

Apply the thecodingmachine gotenberg security patch or hotfix for CVE-2026-42589 on the affected version, following the vendor advisory for your exact build.

How do I detect CVE-2026-42589 across my infrastructure?

Inventory every thecodingmachine gotenberg deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above. Because the exploit targets the running system rather than your application code, also watch for remote code execution at the network and runtime layer — O3 flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic even before a vulnerable build is confirmed.

How do I mitigate CVE-2026-42589 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

Cut exposure now: restrict the management/admin interface to trusted networks, segment the device, and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations and any WAF/IPS signature. O3's runtime protection blocks the exploit chain at execution, holding the line on unpatched or end-of-life systems until you can patch.

How does O3 Security protect against CVE-2026-42589?

O3 detects and blocks CVE-2026-42589 exploitation at runtime: eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches the post-exploitation callback and severs the attacker's outbound channel.

Is CVE-2026-42589 actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for CVE-2026-42589 yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2026-42589?

CVE-2026-42589 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 2.4%, placing it in the 82th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2026-42589?

CVE-2026-42589 is classified as OS Command Injection (CWE-78). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation. This is a high-impact weakness class that often enables remote code execution or data exposure.

Which products and versions are affected by CVE-2026-42589?

CVE-2026-42589 affects thecodingmachine gotenberg. Check the affected-products list on this page against your deployed version to confirm exposure.

Is there exploit tooling available for CVE-2026-42589?

A Nuclei detection template exists for CVE-2026-42589, meaning automated scanners can fingerprint it. Public exploit tooling significantly increases real-world risk — prioritize patching and ensure detection coverage. Exploit tooling should only ever be used in isolated, authorized testing environments.

When was CVE-2026-42589 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2026-42589 was published on May 14, 2026 and was last updated on June 17, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

CVE-2026-42589: Gotenberg OS Command Injection (Critical 9.8)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

2.4%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk82th percentile+2.34%

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.

Description

Gotenberg is a Docker-powered stateless API for PDF files. Prior to 8.31.0, Gotenberg's /forms/pdfengines/metadata/write HTTP endpoint accepts a JSON metadata object and passes its keys directly to ExifTool via the go-exiftool library. No validation is performed on key characters. A \n embedded in a JSON key splits the ExifTool stdin stream into a new argument line, allowing an attacker to inject arbitrary ExifTool flags — including -if, which evaluates Perl expressions. This achieves unauthenticated OS command execution in a single HTTP request. The response is HTTP 200 with a valid PDF, making the attack transparent to basic monitoring. This vulnerability is fixed in 8.31.0.

Affected Products

1 product · 1 configurations

Application

gotenbergthecodingmachine

< 8.31.0

range

Detection & mitigation playbook

Vendor / appliance

Detect
Inventory every thecodingmachine gotenberg deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above. Because the exploit targets the running system rather than your application code, also watch for remote code execution at the network and runtime layer — O3 flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic even before a vulnerable build is confirmed.
Fix
Apply the thecodingmachine gotenberg security patch or hotfix for CVE-2026-42589 on the affected version, following the vendor advisory for your exact build.
Workarounds
Cut exposure now: restrict the management/admin interface to trusted networks, segment the device, and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations and any WAF/IPS signature. O3's runtime protection blocks the exploit chain at execution, holding the line on unpatched or end-of-life systems until you can patch.
How O3 protects you
O3 detects and blocks CVE-2026-42589 exploitation at runtime: eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches the post-exploitation callback and severs the attacker's outbound channel.

Tailored to CVE-2026-42589. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gotenberg is a Docker-powered stateless API for PDF files. Prior to 8.31.0, Gotenberg's /forms/pdfengines/metadata/write HTTP endpoint accepts a JSON metadata object and passes its keys directly to ExifTool via the go-exiftool library. No validation is performed on key characters. A \n embedded in a JSON key splits the ExifTool stdin stream into a new argument line, allowing an attacker to inject arbitrary ExifTool flags — including -if, which evaluates Perl expressions. This achieves unauthenticated OS command execution in a single HTTP request. The response is HTTP 200 with a valid PDF, maki

O3 Security · Runtime Protection

Is CVE-2026-42589 being exploited in your environment?

O3's eBPF runtime sensors and L7 egress monitoring detect and block the CVE-2026-42589 exploit chain at execution — protecting unpatched and end-of-life systems until the vendor patch is applied.

Protect my workloads How runtime protection works

CVE-2026-42589

EPSS Exploitation Probability

Description

Affected Products

Detection & mitigation playbook

Detect

Fix

Workarounds

How O3 protects you

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CVE-2026-42589 being exploited in your environment?