CVE-2026-50179: CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File in actualbudget actual
Actualbudget's Actual application prior to version 26.6.0 contains a vulnerability where user-controlled strings in CSV exports are not neutralized for formula injection. This allows strings beginning with characters like =, +, -, @, tab, or carriage return to be interpreted as formulas by spreadsheet software such as Excel, LibreOffice Calc, or Google Sheets. The vulnerability enables potential exfiltration of transaction data and manipulation of spreadsheet display values. The issue is fixed in version 26.6.0.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
The vulnerability (CVE-2026-50179) in Actualbudget's Actual product affects versions before 26.6.0. The exportToCSV and exportQueryToCSV functions pass user-controlled fields (Payee, Notes, Account, Category) directly to csv-stringify without applying any cast callback or formula-prefix neutralization. Consequently, strings starting with formula characters are preserved verbatim in the exported CSV files. When opened in common spreadsheet applications, these strings are interpreted as formulas, which can lead to data exfiltration and attacker-controlled display values. This is a case of improper neutralization of formula elements in CSV files (CWE-1236). The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 score of 4.2 (medium severity).
Potential Impact
The vulnerability allows an attacker to craft CSV exports containing malicious formula strings that spreadsheet software will execute upon opening. This can lead to unauthorized exfiltration of transaction data and manipulation of spreadsheet display values. The impact is limited to confidentiality and integrity with no availability impact. Exploitation requires user interaction to open the crafted CSV file in a vulnerable spreadsheet application.
Mitigation Recommendations
This vulnerability is fixed in Actual version 26.6.0. Users and administrators should upgrade to version 26.6.0 or later to mitigate this issue. No other vendor advisories or temporary mitigations are provided. Until upgrading, users should be cautious when opening CSV files exported from affected versions in spreadsheet software.
CVE-2026-50179: CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File in actualbudget actual
Description
Actualbudget's Actual application prior to version 26.6.0 contains a vulnerability where user-controlled strings in CSV exports are not neutralized for formula injection. This allows strings beginning with characters like =, +, -, @, tab, or carriage return to be interpreted as formulas by spreadsheet software such as Excel, LibreOffice Calc, or Google Sheets. The vulnerability enables potential exfiltration of transaction data and manipulation of spreadsheet display values. The issue is fixed in version 26.6.0.
CVSS v3.1
Score 4.2medium
Affected software
pkg:github/actualbudget/actualRun on your own infrastructure? Check whether these packages are installed with threat-finder — our free open-source scanner.
Weaknesses
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
The vulnerability (CVE-2026-50179) in Actualbudget's Actual product affects versions before 26.6.0. The exportToCSV and exportQueryToCSV functions pass user-controlled fields (Payee, Notes, Account, Category) directly to csv-stringify without applying any cast callback or formula-prefix neutralization. Consequently, strings starting with formula characters are preserved verbatim in the exported CSV files. When opened in common spreadsheet applications, these strings are interpreted as formulas, which can lead to data exfiltration and attacker-controlled display values. This is a case of improper neutralization of formula elements in CSV files (CWE-1236). The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 score of 4.2 (medium severity).
Potential Impact
The vulnerability allows an attacker to craft CSV exports containing malicious formula strings that spreadsheet software will execute upon opening. This can lead to unauthorized exfiltration of transaction data and manipulation of spreadsheet display values. The impact is limited to confidentiality and integrity with no availability impact. Exploitation requires user interaction to open the crafted CSV file in a vulnerable spreadsheet application.
Mitigation Recommendations
This vulnerability is fixed in Actual version 26.6.0. Users and administrators should upgrade to version 26.6.0 or later to mitigate this issue. No other vendor advisories or temporary mitigations are provided. Until upgrading, users should be cautious when opening CSV files exported from affected versions in spreadsheet software.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- GitHub_M
- Date Reserved
- 2026-06-03T22:05:13.644Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a4d7350c9d9e3dbe3e36b0b
Added to database: 07/07/2026, 21:44:48 UTC
Last enriched: 07/07/2026, 21:58:52 UTC
Last updated: 07/07/2026, 23:31:54 UTC
Views: 5
Community Reviews
0 reviewsCrowdsource mitigation strategies, share intel context, and vote on the most helpful responses. Sign in to add your voice and help keep defenders ahead.
Want to contribute mitigation steps or threat intel context? Sign in or create an account to join the community discussion.
Actions
Updates to AI analysis require Pro Console access. Upgrade inside Console → Billing.
Need more coverage?
Upgrade to Pro Console for AI refresh and higher limits.
For incident response and remediation, OffSeq services can help resolve threats faster.
Latest Threats
Check if your credentials are on the dark web
Instant breach scanning across billions of leaked records. Free tier available.