PhpSpreadsheet is a PHP library for reading and writing spreadsheet files. Versions prior to 3.7.0, 2.3.5, 2.1.6, and 1.29.7 are vulnerable to bypass of the cross-site scripting sanitizer using the javascript protocol and special characters. An attacker can use special characters, so that the library processes the javascript protocol with special characters and generates an HTML link. Versions 3.7.0, 2.3.5, 2.1.6, and 1.29.7 contain a patch for the issue.
CVE-2024-56412
MEDIUMNVD 5.45.4—Elevated
EchelonGraph scoreMEDIUM confidence
This medium-severity CVE scores 5.4 under NVD CVSS v3. EPSS exploit probability: 0.4%, top 70% of all CVEs by exploit prediction. GitHub Security Advisory data not yet ingested — confidence will rise once GHSA publishes (typical lag: hours to days for open-source ecosystem CVEs; never for infrastructure-only CVEs).
Triggered by: NVD CVSS baseline
Sources: epss, nvd
5.4EG
EchelonGraph verdictMonitorLow exploitation likelihood right now — keep watching.
- Lower severity and no public exploit yet
CISA-KEV: Not listedEPSS PROB: 0%CVSS: 5.4Exploit: Elevated riskExposed: 0
No vendor fix yet — apply a workaround or compensating control (WAF / firewall / segmentation) and watch for a patch.
- CVSS v3
- 5.4
- EG Score
- 5.4(medium)
- EG Risk
- 40(Track)EG Risk 40/100SSVC: Track
EG Risk is EchelonGraph's 0–100 priority score: it fuses intrinsic severity with real-world exploitation and automatability so you can rank equal-severity CVEs and fix the most dangerous first. Higher = act sooner. Distinct from the 0–10 EG Score (severity).
How it’s computedSeverity54% × 45%Exploitation40% × 40%Automatability0% × 15%Action: Routine — remediate on your standard cadence. - EPSS PROB
- 0%
- EPSS %ILE
- 32%
- KEV
- Not listed
Published
January 3, 2025
Last Modified
March 6, 2025
References (2)
- security-advisories@githubhttps://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/commit/45052f88e04c735d56457a8ffcdc40b2635a028e
- security-advisories@githubhttps://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/security/advisories/GHSA-q9jv-mm3r-j47r
Affected Packages
(2 across 1 ecosystem)
Packagist(2)
| Package | Vulnerable range | Fixed in | Dependents |
|---|---|---|---|
| phpoffice/phpexcel | 1.7.9 ... 1.8.2 (9 versions) | — | — |
| phpoffice/phpspreadsheet | 2.2.0 ... 2.3.4 (7 versions) | 2.3.5 | — |
Weakness Classification(1)
MITRE Common Weakness Enumeration — the root-cause categories this CVE belongs to.
Frequently asked(5)
What is CVE-2024-56412?
CVE-2024-56412 is a medium vulnerability published on January 3, 2025. PhpSpreadsheet is a PHP library for reading and writing spreadsheet files. Versions prior to 3.7.0, 2.3.5, 2.1.6, and 1.29.7 are vulnerable to bypass of the cross-site scripting sanitizer using the javascript protocol and special characters. An attacker can use special characters, so that the…
When was CVE-2024-56412 disclosed?
CVE-2024-56412 was first published in the National Vulnerability Database on January 3, 2025, with the most recent update on March 6, 2025. EchelonGraph re-ingests CVE updates from NVD on a 2-hour cycle, so this page reflects the latest published state.
Is CVE-2024-56412 actively exploited?
CVE-2024-56412 is not currently on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. FIRST EPSS estimates a 0% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the top 68.1% of all scored CVEs.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2024-56412?
CVE-2024-56412 has a CVSS v3 base score of 5.4 (NVD).
How do I remediate CVE-2024-56412?
Patch to the fixed version published by the affected vendor. Where vendor advisories exist for CVE-2024-56412, EchelonGraph cross-links them in the Vendor Advisories panel below — those typically contain the canonical remediation steps, fixed version numbers, and any vendor-specific mitigations.
Dependency Blast Radius
See which npm, PyPI, Go, and Maven packages are affected by CVE-2024-56412
Is Your Infrastructure Affected by CVE-2024-56412?
EchelonGraph automatically scans your cloud infrastructure and maps CVE exposure using blast radius analysis.