cvedb.io
CVE-2026-42589
CRITICAL · CVSS 9.8
EPSS exploitation probability: 0%
Published 2026-05-14T16:16:21.867 · Last modified 2026-06-17T10:48:06.530

Summary

Gotenberg is a Docker-powered stateless API for PDF files. Prior to 8.31.0, Gotenberg's /forms/pdfengines/metadata/write HTTP endpoint accepts a JSON metadata object and passes its keys directly to ExifTool via the go-exiftool library. No validation is performed on key characters. A \n embedded in a JSON key splits the ExifTool stdin stream into a new argument line, allowing an attacker to inject arbitrary ExifTool flags — including -if, which evaluates Perl expressions. This achieves unauthenticated OS command execution in a single HTTP request. The response is HTTP 200 with a valid PDF, making the attack transparent to basic monitoring. This vulnerability is fixed in 8.31.0.

Affected products

thecodingmachine — gotenberg

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References

This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Informational only; not professional security advice.