# CVE-2019-9848: Code injection in LibreOffice

> Malicious documents can trigger LibreLogo to execute arbitrary Python commands silently via document event handlers, allowing code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Jul 2019
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2019-9848, GHSA-4vpq-gvj2-8j36, UBUNTU-CVE-2019-9848

## What is CVE-2019-9848?

CVE-2019-9848 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 17 Jul 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

LibreOffice has a feature where documents can specify that pre-installed scripts can be executed on various document events such as mouse-over, etc. LibreOffice is typically also bundled with LibreLogo, a programmable turtle vector graphics script, which can be manipulated into executing arbitrary python commands. By using the document event feature to trigger LibreLogo to execute python contained within a document a malicious document could be constructed which would execute arbitrary python commands silently without warning. In the fixed versions, LibreLogo cannot be called from a document event handler. This issue affects: Document Foundation LibreOffice versions prior to 6.2.5.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-9848?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Libreoffice Libreoffice, Opensuse Leap.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-9848?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2019-9848 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-9848 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-9848 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-9848 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 17 Jul 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-9848 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9848/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9848/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-9848
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-9848
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-9848

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-9848/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.