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 — 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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Advisories
Source ID Title
Github GHSA Github GHSA GHSA-rqgh-gxv4-6657 Gotenberg has Unauthenticated RCE via ExifTool Metadata Key Injection
Fixes

Solution

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Workaround

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History

Thu, 14 May 2026 17:45:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Gotenberg
Gotenberg gotenberg
Vendors & Products Gotenberg
Gotenberg gotenberg

Thu, 14 May 2026 16:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
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 — 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.
Title Gotenberg: Unauthenticated RCE via ExifTool Metadata Key Injection
Weaknesses CWE-78
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 9.8, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'}


Projects

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cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: GitHub_M

Published:

Updated: 2026-05-14T15:11:30.619Z

Reserved: 2026-04-29T00:31:15.724Z

Link: CVE-2026-42589

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2026-05-14T16:16:21.867

Modified: 2026-05-14T16:28:04.847

Link: CVE-2026-42589

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2026-05-14T17:30:15Z

Weaknesses