CVE-2023-51333 identifies a CSV Injection vulnerability in PHPJabbers Cinema Booking System version 1.0. The root cause is insufficient sanitization of user-supplied input in the Languages section Labels parameters within the System Options, which are incorporated into CSV files generated by the system. CSV Injection, also known as Formula Injection, occurs when untrusted input is embedded in CSV exports without proper escaping or validation. When such CSV files are opened in spreadsheet applications like Microsoft Excel or LibreOffice Calc, malicious formulas can execute, potentially allowing remote code execution or data exfiltration. The vulnerability requires an attacker to have at least limited privileges (PR:L) to inject malicious content into the system's CSV exports. No user interaction is needed once the malicious CSV is opened, and the attack can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system and data. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) reflects network attack vector, low complexity, required privileges, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to organizations relying on this booking system. The CWE-1236 classification relates to improper neutralization of input in CSV files, emphasizing the need for input validation and output encoding. The lack of available patches increases urgency for mitigation.

For European organizations, exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized execution of code on systems processing cinema booking data, potentially resulting in data breaches, manipulation of booking records, or disruption of services. Confidential customer information and business-critical data could be exposed or altered, undermining trust and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR. The availability of booking services could be impacted by malicious payloads causing system crashes or ransomware deployment. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to pivot within networks, escalating privileges or accessing other sensitive systems. The impact is particularly severe for organizations with high volumes of CSV data exports and those that rely on automated processing of booking information. The absence of known exploits provides a window for proactive defense, but the high CVSS score indicates that successful exploitation would have serious consequences.

European organizations should immediately audit their use of PHPJabbers Cinema Booking System v1.0 and restrict access to the Languages section and System Options to trusted administrators only. Input validation must be enforced on all parameters used in CSV generation, specifically sanitizing or escaping characters that can trigger formula execution in spreadsheet software (e.g., '=', '+', '-', '@'). Where possible, disable CSV export functionality or replace it with safer formats such as JSON or XML until patches are available. Implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect anomalous CSV file generation or access patterns. Educate staff about the risks of opening CSV files from untrusted sources and encourage the use of spreadsheet software with formula execution disabled by default. Regularly review logs for suspicious activity related to CSV exports. Engage with PHPJabbers for updates or patches and apply them promptly once released. Consider deploying application-layer firewalls or input filtering proxies to block malicious payloads targeting this vulnerability.