Gotenberg's ExifTool group-prefix syntax bypasses dangerous-tag blocklist

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2026-42590: 0.29% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 21.67 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary The ExifTool metadata write blocklist in Gotenberg v8 can be bypassed using ExifTool's group-prefix syntax, enabling arbitrary file rename, move, hardlink, and symlink creation on the server. This is a bypass of the fix for GHSA-qmwh-9m9c-h36m. Details The blocklist in pkg/modules/exiftool/exiftool.go filters four dangerous pseudo-tags (FileName, Directory, HardLink, SymLink) using strings.EqualFold(key, tag). However, ExifTool supports group-prefix syntax where File:FileName is processed identically to FileName -- the prefix is stripped by SetNewValue in Writer.pl before tag matching. The safeKeyPattern regex (^[a-zA-Z0-9\-.:]+$) allows colons, so prefixed tag names pass validation. Any prefix works: File:FileName, System:Directory, a:HardLink, etc. Additionally, FilePermissions, FileUserID, and FileGroupID pseudo-tags are not blocked at all and can modify file attributes without any prefix. PoC Impact Pre-auth (no authentication by default). Attacker can rename, move, or…

Published by the source

7 May 2026, 00:55 UTC

Last modified by the source

14 May 2026, 20:52 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:22 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-7v3r-m9c8-r855

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-42590

Advisory: Gotenberg's ExifTool group-prefix syntax bypasses dangerous-tag blocklist
IDs: CVE-2026-42590, GHSA-7v3r-m9c8-r855
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-42590 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:22 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.2)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor response not established. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Go github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/v8: affected <= 8.29.1

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Go github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/v8: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/v8.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7v3r-m9c8-r855 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-7v3r-m9c8-r855 lists affected ranges: Go github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/v8 >=0 <=8.29.1)

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