Description
PhpSpreadsheet is a pure PHP library for reading and writing spreadsheet files. Prior to 1.30.4, 2.1.16, 2.4.5, 3.10.5, and 5.7.0, the XLSX reader's ColumnAndRowAttributes::readRowAttributes() method reads row numbers from XML attributes without validating them against the spreadsheet maximum row limit (AddressRange::MAX_ROW = 1,048,576). An attacker can craft a minimal XLSX file (~1.6KB) containing a <row r="999999999"/> element that inflates cachedHighestRow to 999,999,999, causing any subsequent row iteration to attempt ~1 billion loop cycles and exhaust CPU resources. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.30.4, 2.1.16, 2.4.5, 3.10.5, and 5.7.0.
Published: 2026-05-12
Score: 7.5 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

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Remediation

No vendor fix or workaround currently provided.

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-7c6m-4442-2x6m PhpSpreadsheet has CPU Denial of Service via Unbounded Row Number in XLSX Row Dimensions
History

Thu, 14 May 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:phpoffice:phpspreadsheet:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

Wed, 13 May 2026 13:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Phpoffice
Phpoffice phpspreadsheet
Vendors & Products Phpoffice
Phpoffice phpspreadsheet

Tue, 12 May 2026 22:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description PhpSpreadsheet is a pure PHP library for reading and writing spreadsheet files. Prior to 1.30.4, 2.1.16, 2.4.5, 3.10.5, and 5.7.0, the XLSX reader's ColumnAndRowAttributes::readRowAttributes() method reads row numbers from XML attributes without validating them against the spreadsheet maximum row limit (AddressRange::MAX_ROW = 1,048,576). An attacker can craft a minimal XLSX file (~1.6KB) containing a <row r="999999999"/> element that inflates cachedHighestRow to 999,999,999, causing any subsequent row iteration to attempt ~1 billion loop cycles and exhaust CPU resources. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.30.4, 2.1.16, 2.4.5, 3.10.5, and 5.7.0.
Title PhpSpreadsheet: CPU Denial of Service via Unbounded Row Number in XLSX Row Dimensions
Weaknesses CWE-770
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 7.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}


Subscriptions

Phpoffice Phpspreadsheet
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-13T12:11:34.633Z

Reserved: 2026-04-15T16:37:22.767Z

Link: CVE-2026-40902

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2026-05-13T12:10:47.841Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Analyzed

Published: 2026-05-12T22:16:33.923

Modified: 2026-05-14T14:50:17.350

Link: CVE-2026-40902

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-05-12T23:45:25Z

Weaknesses