CVE-2023-7101: Douglas Wilson Spreadsheet::ParseExcel · Eval Injection
Affects Douglas Wilson Spreadsheet::ParseExcelSource CVE Database V5
Exploited in the wild · KEV due 23 Jan 2024 · public exploit available (Metasploit) · 18% EPSS : apply the vendor's fix or mitigations to Douglas Wilson Spreadsheet::ParseExcel now.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 17:16 UTC
- KEV deadline
- US federal agencies must patch by this date; a sensible deadline for everyone else. Other KEV due dates
- EPSS
- 18.9% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 97% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
t = 0 is the CVE’s publication on cve.org
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 24 Dec 2023
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: evidence found.
Exploited in the wildExploited: evidence found.
Listed in CISA KEV 9 days after disclosure
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
Timeline
CVE ID reserved
by Mandiant Inc.
, 5 hours before disclosure
CVE published
on cve.org
, t = 0
Added to CISA KEV (opens in a new tab)
exploitation confirmed
, 9 days after disclosure
KEV remediation due
US federal deadline
, 30 days after disclosure
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), CISA KEV (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas Wilson Spreadsheet::ParseExcel | Affected
| Fixed in– |
Description
Spreadsheet::ParseExcel version 0.65 is a Perl module used for parsing Excel files. Spreadsheet::ParseExcel is vulnerable to an arbitrary code execution (ACE) vulnerability due to passing unvalidated input from a file into a string-type “eval”. Specifically, the issue stems from the evaluation of Number format strings (not to be confused with printf-style format strings) within the Excel parsing logic.
References
- github.com/mandiant/Vulnerability-Disclosures/blob/master/2023/MNDT-2023-0019.md (opens in a new tab)
- https//www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-7101 (opens in a new tab)
- https//metacpan.org/dist/Spreadsheet-ParseExcel (opens in a new tab)
- https//github.com/haile01/perl_spreadsheet_excel_rce_poc (opens in a new tab)
- github.com/jmcnamara/spreadsheet-parseexcel/blob/c7298592e102a375d43150cd002feed806557c15/lib/Spreadsheet/ParseExcel/Utility.pm (opens in a new tab)
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/12/29/4 (opens in a new tab)
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00025.html (opens in a new tab)
- https//github.com/jmcnamara/spreadsheet-parseexcel/commit/bd3159277e745468e2c553417b35d5d7dc7405bc (opens in a new tab)
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/IFEHKULQRVXHIV7XXK2RGD4VQN6Y4CV5/ (opens in a new tab)
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/M2FIWDHRYTAAQLGM6AFOZVM7AFZ4H2ZR/ (opens in a new tab)
- security.metacpan.org/2024/02/10/vulnerable-spreadsheet-parsing-modules.html (opens in a new tab)
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-7101 (opens in a new tab)