# CVE-2024-45291: PhpSpreadsheet allows absolute path traversal and Server-Side Request Forgery in HTML writer when embedding images is enabled

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2024-45291-phpspreadsheet-allows-absolute-path-traversal-and-server-side  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2024-10-07  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2024-45291 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.1 · Published 2024-10-07

PhpSpreadsheet allows absolute path traversal and Server-Side Request Forgery in HTML writer when embedding images is enabled

Technologies: [phpoffice/phpexcel (Packagist)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/phpoffice-phpexcel), [phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/phpoffice-phpspreadsheet). Vendors: [Packagist](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/packagist).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2024-45291 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2024-45291 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2024-45291?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.1, published 7 October 2024.

**Which products and versions are affected?** phpoffice/phpexcel (Packagist) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,last_affected=1.8.2; phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=2.2.0,fixed=2.3.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2024-45291?** Yes. phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist): upgrade to 2.3.0 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2024-45291?** Check whether you run phpoffice/phpexcel (Packagist) or phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist): upgrade to 2.3.0 or later

  ```sh
  composer require phpoffice/phpspreadsheet:^2.3.0
  ```


## Affected products

- phpoffice/phpexcel (Packagist) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,last_affected=1.8.2
- phpoffice/phpspreadsheet (Packagist) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=2.2.0,fixed=2.3.0

## Identifiers

- CVE-2024-45291
- GHSA-w9xv-qf98-ccq4

## Related threats

- [PHPOffice PhpSpreadsheet redirect validation bypass in external image loading](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-108360-phpspreadsheet-is-a-pure-php-library-for-reading-and-writing)
- [PhpSpreadsheet denial-of-service via unbounded row repetition](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-108359-phpspreadsheet-is-a-pure-php-library-for-reading-and-writing)
- [PhpSpreadsheet XmlScanner XML entity expansion denial of service](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-108358-phpspreadsheet-is-a-pure-php-library-for-reading-and-writing)
- [PHPOffice PhpSpreadsheet XML entity expansion denial of service](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-108357-phpspreadsheet-is-a-pure-php-library-for-reading-and-writing)
- [PHPOffice PhpSpreadsheet denial of service via Gnumeric gzip expansion](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-59932-phpoffice-phpspreadsheet-denial-of-service-via-gnumeric-gzip)