---
title: "CVE-2026-40281: Gotenberg has ExifTool stdin argument injection via metadata value newlines (bypass of key sanitization fix)"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-40281/
description: "CVE-2026-40281 (github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/v8 (Go)): Gotenberg is a Docker-powered stateless API for PDF files. In versions 8.30.1 and earlier, the…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-05-06
date_modified: 2026-05-08
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2026-40281"
kev: false
cvss: 10
epss: 0.02094
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2026-40281: Gotenberg has ExifTool stdin argument injection via metadata value newlines (bypass of key sanitization fix)

**Signal:** Critical and remotely reachable. No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Not in CISA KEV , but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
- EPSS 2.1% , percentile 81: FIRST’s model estimates a 2.1% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 81% of all scored CVEs (elevated). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/v8 (Go) <= 8.30.1, fixed in 8.31.0 . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

Gotenberg is a Docker-powered stateless API for PDF files. In versions 8.30.1 and earlier, the metadata write endpoint validates metadata keys for control characters but leaves metadata values unsanitized. A newline character in a metadata value splits the ExifTool stdin line into two separate arguments, allowing injection of arbitrary ExifTool pseudo-tags such as -FileName, -Directory, -SymLink, and -HardLink. This is a bypass of the incomplete key-sanitization fix introduced in v8.30.1. An unauthenticated attacker can rename or move any PDF being processed to an arbitrary path in the container filesystem, overwrite arbitrary files, or create symlinks and hard links at arbitrary paths.

## Affected packages

- Go `github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/v8` <= 8.30.1 → fixed: 8.31.0

## Affected products (CVE record)

- gotenberg gotenberg: <= 8.30.1

## Severity

- GitHub_M CVSS 3.1: 10 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 10.0 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc , automatable yes , technical impact partial .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 2.09% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 81.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-q7r4-hc83-hf2q](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-q7r4-hc83-hf2q)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2026-40281](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-40281)
- [NVD entry CVE-2026-40281](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-40281)
- [github.com](https://github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/security/advisories/GHSA-q7r4-hc83-hf2q)
- [github.com](https://github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/commit/405f1069c026bb08f319fb5a44e5c67c33208318)
- [github.com](https://github.com/gotenberg/gotenberg/releases/tag/v8.31.0)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-40281/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt