CVE-2026-42589
Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete
BaseFortify

Publication date: 2026-05-14

Last updated on: 2026-05-18

Assigner: GitHub, Inc.

Description
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 β€” 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.
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Meta Information
Published
2026-05-14
Last Modified
2026-05-18
Generated
2026-05-20
EPSS Evaluated
2026-05-19
NVD
Affected Vendors & Products
Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
thecodingmachine gotenberg to 8.31.0 (exc)
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-78 The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component.
Attack-Flow Graph
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