# CVE-2024-47879: OpenRefine's PreviewExpressionCommand, which is eval, lacks protection against cross-site request forgery (CSRF)

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code via CSRF in OpenRefine's preview-expression command if a victim visits a malicious site.

- **Severity:** High 7.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Oct 2024
- **Updated:** 25 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2024-47879, GHSA-3jm4-c6qf-jrh3, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-47879

## What is CVE-2024-47879?

CVE-2024-47879 is a high-severity vulnerability in OpenRefine, published on 24 Oct 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

OpenRefine is a free, open source tool for working with messy data. Prior to version 3.8.3, lack of cross-site request forgery protection on the `preview-expression` command means that visiting a malicious website could cause an attacker-controlled expression to be executed. The expression can contain arbitrary Clojure or Python code. The attacker must know a valid project ID of a project that contains at least one row, and the attacker must convince the victim to open a malicious webpage. Version 3.8.3 fixes the issue.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code), CWE-352 (Cross-Site Request Forgery)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-47879?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.openrefine:main. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.openrefine:main` | Maven | All versions | 3.8.3 |
| `org.openrefine:main` | Maven | All versions | 3.8.3 |

Products: Openrefine Openrefine.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-47879?

Upgrade org.openrefine:main to 3.8.3 or later.

## Is CVE-2024-47879 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-47879 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in OpenRefine

- [CVE-2023-41887](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-41887/): Remote Code exec in project import with mysql jdbc url attack (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-47878](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-47878/): Reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability (XSS) in GData extension (authorized.vt) (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2024-47880](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-47880/): OpenRefine has a reflected cross-site scripting vulnerability from POST request in ExportRowsCommand (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2024-47881](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-47881/): OpenRefine's SQLite integration allows filesystem access, remote code execution (RCE) (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2024-23833](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-23833/): OpenRefine JDBC Attack Vulnerability (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-47879 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-47879 is a high-severity vulnerability in OpenRefine, published on 24 Oct 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-47879 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.openrefine:main (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 3.8.3
- org.openrefine:main (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 3.8.3

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-2024-47879/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-47879/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-47879
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-47879
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-47879

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-47879/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.