# CVE-2020-13451: Code injection in n/a

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by overwriting LibreOffice configuration files via macros in the Gotenberg document conversion service.

- **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:** No
- **Published:** 7 Jan 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wcf9-3wr2-8wmf

## What is CVE-2020-13451?

CVE-2020-13451 is a critical code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 7 Jan 2021. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An incomplete-cleanup vulnerability in the Office rendering engine of Gotenberg through 6.2.1 allows an attacker to overwrite LibreOffice configuration files and execute arbitrary code via macros.

Weakness: CWE-459 (Incomplete Cleanup)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-13451?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Thecodingmachine Gotenberg.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-13451?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-13451 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-13451 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-13451 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2026-40281](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-40281/): Gotenberg vulnerable to argument injection via newlines in ExifTool metadata values (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-42589](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42589/): Gotenberg: Unauthenticated RCE via ExifTool Metadata Key Injection (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-13450](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13450/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-13452](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13452/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-42596](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-42596/): Gotenberg: Unauthenticated SSRF via default deny-list bypass in downloadFrom and webhook (critical 9.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-13451 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-13451 is a critical code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 7 Jan 2021. 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-2020-13451 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2020-13451/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13451/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-13451
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-13451
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-13451

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-13451/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.