LogstashApplication · Elastic
CVE-2016-1000222
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedLogstash prior to version 2.1.2, the CSV output can be attacked via engineered input that will create malicious formulas in the CSV data.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceLogstash versions prior to 2.1.2 have a CSV injection vulnerability in the CSV output plugin. An attacker who can control logged data can inject malicious spreadsheet formulas (e.g., starting with =, +, -, @) into CSV fields. When the CSV file is opened in spreadsheet software like Excel or LibreOffice Calc, these formulas execute, potentially enabling remote code execution or data exfiltration.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
LogstashApplication
<= 2.1.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check installed Logstash versionRun `logstash --version` or check the version in `/opt/logstash/lib/logstash/version.rb` or via package manager (`rpm -q logstash` or `dpkg -l logstash`)Affected if Version is 2.1.1 or earlier (2.1.0, 2.0.0, 1.x, etc.)
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Identify CSV output plugin usageSearch Logstash configuration files (*.conf) in `/etc/logstash/conf.d/`, `/opt/logstash/conf.d/`, or custom paths for the line `output { csv {`Affected if A Logstash pipeline is configured with the csv output plugin
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Verify CSV output is actively runningCheck running Logstash processes or service status (`systemctl status logstash` or `service logstash status`) and confirm the CSV output configuration is loadedAffected if Logstash is running with a CSV output configuration loaded
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Inspect CSV output file locationReview the Logstash CSV output configuration for the `path` parameter to determine where CSV files are being written (e.g., `path => "/var/log/logstash/output.csv"`)Affected if CSV output is configured and writing to a file path that users or automated systems can access and open in spreadsheet software
You are affected if your Logstash version is 2.1.1 or earlier AND you have a CSV output plugin actively writing data to files that can be opened in spreadsheet software.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade Logstash to version 2.1.2 or later. Additionally, implement input validation to sanitize or escape formula characters (=, +, -, @, tab, carriage return) in data destined for CSV output.
Fix this in Logstash
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $4,288.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2016-1000222 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-1000222 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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