SECURITY_THREAT_PULSE
LIVE
LAST UPDATED
FIRST SEEN
4 SOURCES ON THIS EVENT
◆ WATCHCVE-2026-42589 · CVSS 9.8

Gotenberg: attackers can run their own code

AFFECTSGotenberg

OFFICIAL NAME: Gotenberg: Unauthenticated RCE via ExifTool Metadata Key Injection

DO THIS FIRSTFind out if you use it. If you do, apply the vendor's fix. Not sure if you use it? Send this page to your IT provider or security lead and ask.

TECHNICAL SUMMARY 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.

WHY THIS VERDICT Attacks are reported but not confirmed by an authoritative source, and the vulnerability is more than 90 days old.

WHY IT RANKS HERE Exploitation is reported. Ready-made attack tools are public. The first report is 7 days old.

HIGHEST CONFIRMED RUNG
NOTHING YET
CISA KEV
NOT YET
EXPLOIT CODE
READY TO USE
// EVIDENCE LADDER

How far has it climbed?

CONFIRMED
REPORTED
NO EVIDENCE

  1. 01 TALK

    □ NO EVIDENCE YET
    NEWEST EVIDENCE NONE YET

    No evidence yet.

    SRC: NONE YET

  2. 02 EXPOSED

    □ NOT TRACKED YET
    NO SOURCE FOR THIS STEP YET

    We have no source that counts exposed systems yet. Internet scan data needs a partnership we do not have. No evidence here does not mean nothing is exposed.

  3. 03 TRIED

    ▨ REPORTED, NOT CONFIRMED
    NEWEST EVIDENCE · 1 SOURCE

    Attacks that worked are reported (step 4), so attempts count as reported too.

  4. 04 EXPLOITED

    ▨ REPORTED, NOT CONFIRMED
    NEWEST EVIDENCE · 1 SOURCE

    Exploitation of CVE-2026-42589 reported (CIRCL sighting).

  5. 05 DAMAGE

    □ NOT TRACKED YET
    NO SOURCE FOR THIS STEP YET

    Breach notices and filings rarely name the flaw that was used, so we cannot link them to this event yet. No evidence here does not mean no harm.

// THE CLOCK

When each thing happened

  1. DISCLOSED
    CVE-2026-42589 published
  2. EXPLOIT CODE PUBLIC
    DATE UNKNOWN
  3. FIRST ATTACK REPORT
    CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup sightings
  4. CISA KEV LISTING
    NOT YET
  5. US FEDERAL DEADLINE
    NOT YET
Attacks were reported 174 days after disclosure.
// ASK YOUR TEAM

Questions to ask this week

// TIMELINE · PACIFIC TIME

How it unfolded

  1. MAY 14, 2026
    CISA Vulnrichment notes a public proof of concept for CVE-2026-42589
  2. MAY 29, 2026
    3 public GitHub repositories claim a proof of concept for CVE-2026-42589
  3. Attack activity. NOV 4, 2026
    Exploitation of CVE-2026-42589 reported (CIRCL sighting)

SOURCES

  1. [1] nuclei-templates: Nuclei scan template: Gotenberg - Command Injection, NOV 4
  2. [2] CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup sightings: Exploitation of CVE-2026-42589 reported (CIRCL sighting), NOV 4
  3. [3] PoC-in-GitHub: 3 public GitHub repositories claim a proof of concept for CVE-2026-42589, MAY 29
  4. [4] CVE List V5 and CISA Vulnrichment: CISA Vulnrichment notes a public proof of concept for CVE-2026-42589, MAY 14