CVE-2026-40281: gotenberg Argument Injection

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.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

10.0

CRITICAL

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H

EPSS — Exploit Prediction

0.0002

Probability of exploitation

0.07%

Percentile rank

EPSS estimates the probability that this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A higher score means more likely to be exploited.

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-88 CWE-88

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
thecodingmachine	gotenberg	< 8.31.0

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/commit/405f1069c026bb08f319fb5a44e5c67c33208318 https://github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/security/advisories/GHSA-q7r4-hc83-hf2q https://github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/security/advisories/GHSA-q7r4-hc83-hf2q

Exploits

https://github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/security/advisories/GHSA-q7r4-hc83-hf2q https://github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/security/advisories/GHSA-q7r4-hc83-hf2q

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2026-40281? +

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. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 10.0 (CRITICAL).

How severe is CVE-2026-40281? +

CVE-2026-40281 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 10.0 out of 10, rated CRITICAL. This is a critical vulnerability that should be patched immediately. The EPSS score is 0.0002, placing it in the 0th percentile for exploitation probability.

What products are affected by CVE-2026-40281? +

CVE-2026-40281 affects products from thecodingmachine, specifically: gotenberg. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2026-40281? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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