CVE-2026-40281

Gotenberg vulnerable to argument injection via newlines in ExifTool metadata values

Published May 6, 2026 CVSS 3.1 · 10 Critical EPSS 2.3% KEV · Not listed
Description
Gotenberg is a Docker-powered stateless API for PDF files. In versions 8.30.1 and earlier, the metadata write endpoint validates metadata keys for control characters but leaves metadata values unsanitized. A newline character in a metadata value splits the ExifTool stdin line into two separate arguments, allowing injection of arbitrary ExifTool pseudo-tags such as -FileName, -Directory, -SymLink, and -HardLink. This is a bypass of the incomplete key-sanitization fix introduced in v8.30.1. An unauthenticated attacker can rename or move any PDF being processed to an arbitrary path in the container filesystem, overwrite arbitrary files, or create symlinks and hard links at arbitrary paths.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-q7r4-hc83-hf2q Gotenberg has ExifTool stdin argument injection via metadata value newlines (bypass of key sanitization fix)
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Thecodingmachine
Thecodingmachine gotenberg
CPEs cpe:2.3:a:thecodingmachine:gotenberg:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Thecodingmachine
Thecodingmachine gotenberg
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'yes', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Gotenberg
Gotenberg gotenberg
Vendors & Products Gotenberg
Gotenberg gotenberg
Type Values Removed Values Added
Description Gotenberg is a Docker-powered stateless API for PDF files. In versions 8.30.1 and earlier, the metadata write endpoint validates metadata keys for control characters but leaves metadata values unsanitized. A newline character in a metadata value splits the ExifTool stdin line into two separate arguments, allowing injection of arbitrary ExifTool pseudo-tags such as -FileName, -Directory, -SymLink, and -HardLink. This is a bypass of the incomplete key-sanitization fix introduced in v8.30.1. An unauthenticated attacker can rename or move any PDF being processed to an arbitrary path in the container filesystem, overwrite arbitrary files, or create symlinks and hard links at arbitrary paths.
Title Gotenberg vulnerable to argument injection via newlines in ExifTool metadata values
Weaknesses CWE-88
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 10, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H'}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
GitHub_M
Published
Updated
May 7, 2026, 12:33 PM
Reserved
Apr 10, 2026, 8:22 PM
Status
Analyzed
Published
May 6, 2026, 9:16 PM
Modified
Nov 11, 2026, 11:10 PM