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GHSA-jmpx-686v-c3wx

HIGH

PhpSpreadsheet allows unauthorized Reflected XSS in the constructor of the Downloader class

Also known asCVE-2024-56365
Published
Jan 3, 2025
Updated
Mar 6, 2025
Affected
5 pkgs
Patched
4 / 5
Exploits
None indexed

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗
0.3%probability of exploitation in next 30 days
Lower Risk23th percentile-0.59%
0.00%0.47%0.94%1.41%0.2%0.3%Dec 25Apr 26Jun 26

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.

Blast Radius

5 pkgs affected
🐘phpoffice/phpspreadsheet🐘phpoffice/phpspreadsheet🐘phpoffice/phpspreadsheet🐘phpoffice/phpspreadsheet🐘phpoffice/phpexcel

Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Packagist packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.

Description

Unauthorized Reflected XSS in the constructor of the Downloader class

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/download.php script, an attacker can perform a XSS-type attack Impact: execution of arbitrary JavaScript code in the browser Vulnerable component: the constructor of the Downloader class Exploitation conditions: an unauthorized user Mitigation: sanitization of the name and type variables Researcher: Aleksey Solovev (Positive Technologies)

Research

The researcher discovered zero-day vulnerability Unauthorized Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) (in the constructor of the Downloader class) in Phpspreadsheet.

The latest version (3.6.0) of the phpoffice/phpspreadsheet library was installed. The installation was carried out with the inclusion of examples.

Listing 1. Installing the phpoffice/phpspreadsheet library

$ composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet --prefer-source

The ./vendor/phpoffice/phpspreadsheet/samples/download.php file processes the GET parameters name and type.

fig1

Figure 1. The ./vendor/phpoffice/phpspreadsheet/samples/download.php file accepts GET parameters.

Consider the constructor of the Downloader class, where GET parameters are passed. Error is displayed without sanitization using GET parameters transmitted from the user.

fig2

Figure 2. Error is displayed without sanitization

When clicking on the following link, arbitrary JavaScript code will be executed.

Listing 2.

https://192.***.***.***/vendor/phpoffice/phpspreadsheet/samples/download.php?name=%3Cimg%20src=1%20onerror=alert()%3E&type=1

Demonstration of the execution of arbitrary JavaScript code.

<img width="537" alt="fig3" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/745d6e21-396f-4357-8ff8-e856adf15fee" />

Figure 3. Executing arbitrary JavaScript code

Credit

This vulnerability was discovered by Aleksey Solovev (Positive Technologies)

Affected Packages

5 total 4 fixed
EcosystemPackageVulnerable rangeFix
🐘Packagistphpoffice/phpspreadsheet3.0.0&&< 3.7.03.7.0
🐘Packagistphpoffice/phpspreadsheetall versions1.29.7
🐘Packagistphpoffice/phpspreadsheet2.0.0&&< 2.1.62.1.6
🐘Packagistphpoffice/phpspreadsheet2.2.0&&< 2.3.52.3.5
🐘Packagistphpoffice/phpexcelall versionsNo fix

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency
  1. Detect

    Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for phpoffice/phpspreadsheet. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.

  2. Fix

    Update phpoffice/phpspreadsheet to 3.7.0 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-jmpx-686v-c3wx is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

  3. Workarounds

    If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.

  4. How O3 protects you

    O3 pinpoints whether GHSA-jmpx-686v-c3wx is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.

Tailored to GHSA-jmpx-686v-c3wx. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.

Frequently Asked Questions

# Unauthorized Reflected XSS in the constructor of the `Downloader` class **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/download.php` script, an attacker can perform a XSS-type attack **Impact**: execution of arbitrary JavaScript code in the browser **Vulnerable comp
O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

Is GHSA-jmpx-686v-c3wx in your dependencies?

O3 detects GHSA-jmpx-686v-c3wx across Packagist dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.