{"id":"CVE-2023-7101","published":"2023-12-24T22:15:07Z","modified":"2026-06-17T06:52:04Z","title":"Spreadsheet::ParseExcel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability","vendor":"Spreadsheet::ParseExcel","product":"Spreadsheet::ParseExcel","tier":"core","eol":null,"description":{"text":"Spreadsheet::ParseExcel version 0.65 is a Perl module used for parsing Excel files. Spreadsheet::ParseExcel is vulnerable to an arbitrary code execution (ACE) vulnerability due to passing unvalidated input from a file into a string-type “eval”. Specifically, the issue stems from the evaluation of Number format strings (not to be confused with printf-style format strings) within the Excel parsing logic.","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"summary":{"text":"Spreadsheet::ParseExcel version 0.65, a Perl module for parsing Excel files, contains an arbitrary code execution flaw in which unvalidated input read from a file is passed into a string-type \"eval\", specifically through the evaluation of Number format strings in the Excel parsing logic. An attacker can get code to run by supplying a crafted Excel file that a user opens or processes with the module, which requires local access and user interaction.","provenance":"ai","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","generatedAt":"2026-10-31T05:10:13Z"},"cvss":{"score":7.8,"severity":"HIGH","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"epss":{"score":0.18959,"percentile":0.97298,"date":"2026-10-30","provenance":"source"},"kev":{"dateAdded":"2024-01-02","dueDate":"2024-01-23","ransomware":false,"requiredAction":"Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.","notes":"This vulnerability affects a common open-source component, third-party library, or a protocol used by different products. Please check with specific vendors for information on patching status. For more information, please see: https://metacpan.org/dist/Spreadsheet-ParseExcel and Barracuda's specific implementation and fix for their downstream issue CVE-2023-7102 at https://www.barracuda.com/company/legal/esg-vulnerability;  https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-7101","provenance":"source"},"vulncheckKev":{"dateAdded":"2023-12-25","exploitedFirstSeen":"2023-12-25","ransomware":false,"evidence":[{"url":"https://www.cyber.gov.au/about-us/view-all-content/alerts-and-advisories/barracuda-email-security-gateway-esg-malicious-activity-additional-indicators-compromise-released","date":"2023-12-25"},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json","date":"2024-01-02"}],"evidenceTotal":2,"provenance":"source"},"exploited":true,"otx":{"pulseCount":50,"pulses":[{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 30, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae35d889ea92b4ce19c2680","created":"2026-10-29"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae20c1db17e7057ae7d9ad1","created":"2026-10-28"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae0ba7e0e2a97ff7b218819","created":"2026-10-27"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adf68b85c3e852f3c111d18","created":"2026-10-26"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adb740e397c3ad4799aa4cd","created":"2026-10-23"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ada236fcfba2dfa730ea482","created":"2026-10-22"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad8d33a077cbb5cab524d80","created":"2026-10-21"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 21, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad78130c4d1ac2be83a8b6d","created":"2026-10-20"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 20, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad62f63c24a405a3423cc13","created":"2026-10-19"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 19, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad4dda174e5797d0bd238b7","created":"2026-10-18"}],"provenance":"machine"},"cwes":[{"id":"CWE-94","name":"Improper Control of Generation of Code"},{"id":"CWE-95","name":"Improper Neutralization of Directives in Dynamically Evaluated Code"}],"references":[{"url":"http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/12/29/4","tags":["Mailing List","Patch","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://github.com/jmcnamara/spreadsheet-parseexcel/blob/c7298592e102a375d43150cd002feed806557c15/lib/Spreadsheet/ParseExcel/Utility.pm#L171","tags":["Product"]},{"url":"https://github.com/mandiant/Vulnerability-Disclosures/blob/master/2023/MNDT-2023-0019.md","tags":["Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://https://github.com/haile01/perl_spreadsheet_excel_rce_poc","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://https://github.com/jmcnamara/spreadsheet-parseexcel/commit/bd3159277e745468e2c553417b35d5d7dc7405bc","tags":["Broken Link","Patch"]},{"url":"https://https://metacpan.org/dist/Spreadsheet-ParseExcel","tags":["Broken Link","Product"]},{"url":"https://https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-7101","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00025.html","tags":["Mailing List"]},{"url":"https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/IFEHKULQRVXHIV7XXK2RGD4VQN6Y4CV5/","tags":["Broken Link","Mailing List"]},{"url":"https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/M2FIWDHRYTAAQLGM6AFOZVM7AFZ4H2ZR/","tags":["Broken Link","Mailing List"]},{"url":"https://security.metacpan.org/2024/02/10/vulnerable-spreadsheet-parsing-modules.html","tags":["Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/12/29/4","tags":["Mailing List","Patch","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://github.com/jmcnamara/spreadsheet-parseexcel/blob/c7298592e102a375d43150cd002feed806557c15/lib/Spreadsheet/ParseExcel/Utility.pm#L171","tags":["Product"]},{"url":"https://github.com/mandiant/Vulnerability-Disclosures/blob/master/2023/MNDT-2023-0019.md","tags":["Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://https://github.com/haile01/perl_spreadsheet_excel_rce_poc","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://https://github.com/jmcnamara/spreadsheet-parseexcel/commit/bd3159277e745468e2c553417b35d5d7dc7405bc","tags":["Broken Link","Patch"]},{"url":"https://https://metacpan.org/dist/Spreadsheet-ParseExcel","tags":["Broken Link","Product"]},{"url":"https://https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-7101","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00025.html","tags":["Mailing List"]},{"url":"https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/IFEHKULQRVXHIV7XXK2RGD4VQN6Y4CV5/","tags":["Broken Link","Mailing List"]},{"url":"https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/M2FIWDHRYTAAQLGM6AFOZVM7AFZ4H2ZR/","tags":["Broken Link","Mailing List"]},{"url":"https://security.metacpan.org/2024/02/10/vulnerable-spreadsheet-parsing-modules.html","tags":["Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-7101","tags":["US Government Resource"]}],"techniques":[{"id":"T1190","name":"Exploit Public-Facing Application","tactics":["initial-access"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Code Execution","mappingType":"exploitation_technique","evidence":[],"comment":"This vulnerability is exploited by a remote attacker by passing unvalidated input from a file into a string-type \"eval\". Specifically, the issue stems from the evaluation of Number format strings (not to be confused with printf-style format strings) within the Excel parsing logic. After successful exploitation, the attacker gains the ability to perform remote code execution. This vulnerability has been targeted by Chinese hackers who exploited the vulnerability in Spreadsheet::ParseExcel to compromise appliances. In collaboration with cybersecurity firm Mandiant, Barracuda assesses that the threat actor behind the attacks is UNC4841, who leveraged the flaw to deploy ‘SeaSpy’ and ‘Saltwater’ malware.","confidence":"low","confidenceNote":"needs user interaction; not a public-facing exploit"},{"id":"T1059","name":"Command and Scripting Interpreter","tactics":["execution"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Code Execution","mappingType":"primary_impact","evidence":[],"comment":"This vulnerability is exploited by a remote attacker by passing unvalidated input from a file into a string-type \"eval\". Specifically, the issue stems from the evaluation of Number format strings (not to be confused with printf-style format strings) within the Excel parsing logic. After successful exploitation, the attacker gains the ability to perform remote code execution. This vulnerability has been targeted by Chinese hackers who exploited the vulnerability in Spreadsheet::ParseExcel to compromise appliances. In collaboration with cybersecurity firm Mandiant, Barracuda assesses that the threat actor behind the attacks is UNC4841, who leveraged the flaw to deploy ‘SeaSpy’ and ‘Saltwater’ malware.","confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"CTID KEV capability group \"code execution\" is generic"},{"id":"T1105","name":"Ingress Tool Transfer","tactics":["command-and-control"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-kev","bases":["ctid-kev"],"basisDetail":"CTID Mappings Explorer KEV 07/28/2025 (ATT&CK 16.1); capability: Code Execution","mappingType":"secondary_impact","evidence":[],"comment":"This vulnerability is exploited by a remote attacker by passing unvalidated input from a file into a string-type \"eval\". Specifically, the issue stems from the evaluation of Number format strings (not to be confused with printf-style format strings) within the Excel parsing logic. After successful exploitation, the attacker gains the ability to perform remote code execution. This vulnerability has been targeted by Chinese hackers who exploited the vulnerability in Spreadsheet::ParseExcel to compromise appliances. In collaboration with cybersecurity firm Mandiant, Barracuda assesses that the threat actor behind the attacks is UNC4841, who leveraged the flaw to deploy ‘SeaSpy’ and ‘Saltwater’ malware.","confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"CTID KEV capability group \"code execution\" is generic"}],"reports":[],"affected":[],"advisories":[],"euvd":{"id":"EUVD-2023-59285","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2023-59285","exploited":true,"exploitedSince":"2024-01-02","provenance":"source"},"exploits":[],"exploitSources":{"metasploit":[{"name":"Barracuda ESG Spreadsheet::ParseExcel Arbitrary Code Execution","module":"exploit/linux/smtp/barracuda_esg_spreadsheet_rce","type":"exploit","disclosureDate":"2023-12-24","url":"https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/linux/smtp/barracuda_esg_spreadsheet_rce.rb"}],"first":{"date":"2023-12-24","source":"Metasploit","url":"https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/linux/smtp/barracuda_esg_spreadsheet_rce.rb"},"provenance":"source"},"exploitRefs":["https://https://github.com/haile01/perl_spreadsheet_excel_rce_poc"],"flow":[{"stage":"primary","techniques":["T1059"],"provenance":"source"},{"stage":"secondary","techniques":["T1105"],"provenance":"source"},{"stage":"related","techniques":["T1190"],"provenance":"source","lowConfidence":true}],"timeline":[{"date":"2023-12-24","kind":"published","label":"Published (NVD)","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-7101","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2023-12-24","kind":"exploit-public","label":"First public exploit: Metasploit","url":"https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/linux/smtp/barracuda_esg_spreadsheet_rce.rb","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2023-12-25","kind":"exploited-reported","label":"Exploitation first reported (VulnCheck KEV evidence)","url":"https://www.cyber.gov.au/about-us/view-all-content/alerts-and-advisories/barracuda-email-security-gateway-esg-malicious-activity-additional-indicators-compromise-released","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2024-01-02","kind":"kev","label":"Added to CISA KEV","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2024-01-02","kind":"euvd-exploited","label":"ENISA EUVD: exploited","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2023-59285","provenance":"source"}],"speed":{"daysToPublicExploit":0,"firstExploitFrom":"Metasploit","daysToKev":9},"priority":{"score":67.9,"factors":[{"name":"In a KEV catalog","points":35.0,"detail":"listed in CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV"},{"name":"Recent KEV listing","points":0.0,"detail":"added 1041 days ago"},{"name":"Known ransomware use","points":0.0,"detail":"not known"},{"name":"EPSS percentile","points":19.46,"detail":"percentile 0.9730"},{"name":"Named in threat reports","points":0.0,"detail":"0 reports"},{"name":"Public exploit code","points":5.0,"detail":"1 NVD exploit link; 1 Metasploit module"},{"name":"Mentioned in OTX pulses","points":3.0,"detail":"50 pulses"},{"name":"CVSS severity","points":5.46,"detail":"base score 7.8"},{"name":"End-of-life product","points":0.0,"detail":"supported or unknown"}]}}