# CVE-2025-31978: HCL BigFix Service Management CSV injection in spreadsheet exports

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2025-31978-hcl-bigfix-service-management-csv-injection-in-spreadsheet  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-05-06. Updated: 2026-06-29  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2025-31978 · Severity: medium · CVSS 4.6 · Published 2026-05-06

HCL BigFix Service Management (SM) is susceptible to a vulnerability where it fails to properly clean data before it is exported into spreadsheet files like Excel or CSVs. An attacker could input malicious formulas into the system that, when exported and opened by a legitimate user, could lead to unauthorized data being sent to the attacker or other malicious actions on the user's computer. While modern spreadsheet software often warns users about this type of content, the flaw could still be used to target employees who handle exported reports.

Technologies: [Hcltech Bigfix Service Management](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/bigfix-service-management). Vendors: [Hcltech](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/hcltech).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2025-31978 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2025-31978 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2025-31978?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 4.6, published 6 May 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** HCL Software BigFix Service Management (SM) 23.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2025-31978?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2025-31978 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2025-31978?** Check whether you run Hcltech Bigfix Service Management. 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.

## Technical details

A CSV Injection (also known as Formula Injection) vulnerability exists in HCL BigFix Service Management (SM) version 23.0. The application fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before including it in exported spreadsheet files (CSV, XLS, XLSX). An authenticated attacker can populate data fields with malicious spreadsheet formulas (e.g., starting with =, +, -, or @). When a victim exports this data and opens the resulting file in a spreadsheet application like Microsoft Excel, the formulas may execute, potentially leading to information exfiltration via DDE or other malicious activities. Exploitation requires the attacker to have sufficient privileges to input data and relies on user interaction to open the exported file.

## Affected products

- HCL Software BigFix Service Management (SM) 23.0

## Timeline

- 2026-05-06: disclosed
- 2026-05-06: advisory: Vendor advisory KB0128144 published

## References

- [https://support.hcl-software.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0128144](https://support.hcl-software.com/csm?id=kb_article&sysparm_article=KB0128144)

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