# CVE-2023-7101

Spreadsheet::ParseExcel version 0.65 is a Perl module used for parsing Excel files. Spreadsheet::ParseExcel is vulnerable to an arbitrary code execution (ACE) vulnerability due to passing unvalidated input from a file into a string-type “eval”. Specifically, the issue stems from the evaluation of Number format strings (not to be confused with printf-style format strings) within the Excel parsing logic.

- Page: https://www.vulneraibility.com/cve/CVE-2023-7101
- CVSS: 7.8
- Known exploited: yes, in CISA KEV since 2024-01-02; CISA due date 2024-01-23
- EPSS: 18.96% (percentile 97.3)
- Public exploit code: 1 Metasploit module
- CISA SSVC: exploitation active, automatable no, technical impact total (assessed 2025-08-20)
- Weakness: CWE-95
- Published: 2023-12-24

## Affected versions

- Douglas Wilson Spreadsheet::ParseExcel: affected 0.65

A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected.

## References

- [other] https://github.com/mandiant/Vulnerability-Disclosures/blob/master/2023/MNDT-2023-0019.md
- [other] https://https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-7101
- [other] https://https://metacpan.org/dist/Spreadsheet-ParseExcel
- [other] https://https://github.com/haile01/perl_spreadsheet_excel_rce_poc
- [other] https://github.com/jmcnamara/spreadsheet-parseexcel/blob/c7298592e102a375d43150cd002feed806557c15/lib/Spreadsheet/ParseExcel/Utility.pm#L171
- [other] http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/12/29/4
- [other] https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/12/msg00025.html
- [other] https://https://github.com/jmcnamara/spreadsheet-parseexcel/commit/bd3159277e745468e2c553417b35d5d7dc7405bc
- [other] https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/IFEHKULQRVXHIV7XXK2RGD4VQN6Y4CV5/
- [other] https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/M2FIWDHRYTAAQLGM6AFOZVM7AFZ4H2ZR/
- [other] https://security.metacpan.org/2024/02/10/vulnerable-spreadsheet-parsing-modules.html
- [other] https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2023-7101

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Summary, impact and action are written by the vulneraibility.com AI analysis pipeline from the CVE record, NVD, CISA and FIRST data; verify against the references.