CVE-2023-7101

HIGH KEV

Spreadsheet::ParseExcel < 0.65 - Remote Code Execution via Number Format String Eval

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

CVE-2023-7101 is actively exploited and listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added January 2, 2024. EIP tracks 1 public exploit from researchers including Mandiant, haile01, Curt Hyvarinen, including a Metasploit module exploits/linux/smtp/barracuda_esg_spreadsheet_rce.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2023-7102 in Barracuda ESG by crafting a malicious XLS file with a Perl payload embedded in a BIFF8 FORMAT record, achieving remote code execution via an unsafe eval() in Spreadsheet::ParseExcel.

Description

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.

Exploits (1)

metasploit WORKING POC EXCELLENT
by Mandiant, haile01, Curt Hyvarinen · rubypocunix
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/linux/smtp/barracuda_esg_spreadsheet_rce.rb

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2023-7102 in Barracuda ESG by crafting a malicious XLS file with a Perl payload embedded in a BIFF8 FORMAT record, achieving remote code execution via an unsafe eval() in Spreadsheet::ParseExcel.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Rce
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG) 5.1.3.001 through 9.2.1.001
No auth needed
Prerequisites: SMTP access to the target ESG · Valid target email address
devstral-2 · analyzed May 19, 2026 Full analysis →

Scores

CVSS v3 7.8
EPSS 0.5779
EPSS Percentile 98.2%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation active
Automatable no
Technical Impact total

Details

CISA KEV 2024-01-02
VulnCheck KEV 2023-12-25
InTheWild.io 2024-01-02
ENISA EUVD EUVD-2023-59285
CWE
CWE-95 CWE-94
Status published
Products (4)
debian/debian_linux 10.0
fedoraproject/fedora 38
fedoraproject/fedora 39
jmcnamara/spreadsheet\ < 0.65
Published Dec 24, 2023
KEV Added Jan 02, 2024
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026