Excelize Decrypt: unrecoverable panics on malformed OLE/CFB encrypted workbooks

### Summary Any file whose first 8 bytes are the OLE compound-file signature (`D0 CF 11 E0 A1 B1 1A E1`) is routed by `OpenFile`/`OpenReader`/`OpenBytes` → `openReaderAt` → `Decrypt`. The version dispatch only guarantees `len(EncryptionInfo) >= 4` before handing attacker-controlled `EncryptionInfo`/`EncryptedPackage` buffers to `standardDecrypt`/`agileDecrypt`, and no callee validates structure. Malformed but version-valid content therefore fails as an **unrecovered runtime panic** instead of an error, terminating the calling process. ### Details All panic classes below were execution-confirmed against pristine master (`ecd99d761fe0`, 2026-09-08). `excelize.go:211-213` maps `Decrypt` *errors* to `ErrWorkbookFileFormat`, but panics bypass that path and kill the process. | # | Malformed input | Panic | Site | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | standard, `len(EncryptionInfo)` 4–11 | slice bounds `[:12]` | `crypt.go:238` | | 2 | standard, attacker-controlled `headerSize` uint32 | slice bounds `[12:12+headerSize]` / fixed-offset header reads | `crypt.go:238-249` | | 3 | standard, verifier remainder < 72 (AES) / 60 (RC4) bytes | slice bounds in `standardEncryptionVerifier` | `crypt.go:282-295` | | 4 | standard, `header.KeySize` = 0xFFFFFFFF | slice bounds `[:536870911]` with capacity 48 | `crypt.go:321` | | 5 | standard, `EncryptedPackage` stream missing/short | slice bounds `[8:0]` | `crypt.go:268` | | 6 | agile, `len(EncryptionInfo)` 4–7 | slice bounds `[8:4]` | `crypt.go:407` | | 7 | agile, valid XML without `<keyEncryptors>` | index out of range `[0]` with length 0 | `crypt.go:416`, `433` | | 8 | agile, `saltValue` decoded length ≠ AES block | `cipher.NewCBCDecrypter: IV length must equal block size` | `crypt.go:425` → `512` | | 9 | any, `keyData blockSize="0"` | integer divide by zero | `crypt.go:539` | Note the asymmetry pinpointing the missing constraint: the agile path already checks `len(EncryptedPackage) >= 8` (`crypt.go:520-523`) but the standard path does not (#5). Existing tests only cover the error paths (short `<4` bytes → `ErrUnknownEncryptMechanism`, bad XML, base64 errors), never these panic paths. ### PoC Standalone programs (public API only, inputs built in memory) were provided to the maintainer by email: `1-decrypt-panic` builds seven malformed CFB containers and shows each panic escaping the public `Decrypt` API plus one end-to-end `OpenReader` crash. All cases print PANIC on master and BLOCKED with the proposed patch. A regression guard proves legitimate decryption is unaffected: a workbook encrypted with the package's own `Encrypt()` still opens through the same code path. (A separate advisory covers the unbounded/negative allocation in `extractPart`.) ### Impact Any service that calls `OpenFile`/`OpenReader`/`OpenBytes` on untrusted input (upload processing, mail scanning, spreadsheet conversion) can be killed remotely and without authentication by a file of ~100 bytes to ~3 KB. No password is required — panics occur during structural/parameter handling before successful decryption. Site variety means filtering one pattern does not help. ### Proposed fix A `recover()` boundary in `Decrypt` mapping any panic to `ErrWorkbookFileFormat` (restores the documented error-routing contract; legitimate standard/agile decryption unaffected). A complete patch has been provided to the maintainer; per-site length validation is recommended as defense in depth.

Source published

8 Oct 2026 16:31:32 UTC

Source modified

19 Oct 2026 21:40:56 UTC

Observed here

24 Oct 2026 13:19:41 UTC

Source terms

GitHub Advisory Database · CC-BY-4.0

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This view projects the publisher's source fields for reading; the original JSON retains additional fields and CVE enrichment containers. Attribution: osv · GitHub Advisory Database · CC-BY-4.0. Source text is retained; field grouping and change labels are provided by ChangeIntel.

CVSS_V3 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Publisher rating · HIGH