# CVE-2025-14404: PDFsam Enhanced XLS File Insufficient UI Warning Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening malicious XLS files due to insufficient UI warnings.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 30 Dec 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hg5c-g9q3-5h9v

## What is CVE-2025-14404?

CVE-2025-14404 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in PDFsam Enhanced, published on 23 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

PDFsam Enhanced XLS File Insufficient UI Warning Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected installations of PDFsam Enhanced. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability in that the target must visit a malicious page or open a malicious file.

The specific flaw exists within the processing of XLS files. The issue results from allowing the execution of dangerous script without user warning. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to execute code in the context of the current user. Was ZDI-CAN-27498.

Weakness: CWE-356 (Missing User Interaction for Potentially Unsafe Action)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-14404?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Pdfsam Enhanced.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-14404?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-14404 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-14404 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-14404 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in PDFsam Enhanced

- [CVE-2025-14401](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14401/): PDFsam Enhanced App Out-Of-Bounds Read Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2025-14403](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14403/): PDFsam Enhanced Launch Insufficient UI Warning Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2025-14402](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14402/): PDFsam Enhanced DOC File Insufficient UI Warning Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 7.0)
- [CVE-2025-14405](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14405/): PDFsam Enhanced Uncontrolled Search Path Element Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (medium 6.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-14404 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-14404 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in PDFsam Enhanced, published on 23 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-14404 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: PDFsam Enhanced. 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-2025-14404/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14404/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-14404
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-14404
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-14404

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-14404/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.