Description
PhpSpreadsheet is a library for reading and writing spreadsheet files. In versions 1.30.3 and earlier, 2.0.0 through 2.1.15, 2.2.0 through 2.4.4, 3.3.0 through 3.10.4, and 4.0.0 through 5.6.0, the HTML Writer skips htmlspecialchars() output escaping when a cell uses a custom number format containing the @ text placeholder with additional literal text (e.g., @ "items"). The escaping is only applied when the formatted output strictly equals the original cell value. When the format code contains @ with quoted literal text, the formatter substitutes the raw cell value into the format string and returns early without invoking the escaping callback. An attacker who can control cell content in a spreadsheet processed by the HTML Writer can inject arbitrary HTML and JavaScript into the generated output. This issue has been fixed in versions 1.30.4, 2.1.16, 2.4.5, 3.10.5, and 5.7.0.
Affected products
phpoffice: phpspreadsheet
References2
- github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/security/advisories/GHSA-6w… ExploitVendor Advisory
- github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/security/advisories/GHSA-6w… ExploitVendor Advisory
Metrics
- CVSS 3.1
-
5.4
MEDIUM
Score source: NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N - CVSS 4.0
-
4.8
MEDIUM
Score source: CNA
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/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - EPSS — exploit probability
- 0% percentile: 10 · as of 13 November 2026
- CWE
- CWE-79
Could this be exploited in your environment?
A patch closes the known hole. A penetration test shows what an attacker can still reach — with proof.