PHPOffice · oleibman · Jul 23, 2025 · Jul 19, 2025 · Jul 23, 2025 · Jul 23, 2025
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org).
 
 ### Added
 
+- Add to all readers the option to allow or forbid fetching external images. This is unconditionally allowed now. The default will be set to "allow", so no code changes are necessary. However, we are giving consideration to changing the default. [PR #4543](https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/pull/4543)
 - Address Excel Inappropriate Number Format Substitution. [PR #4532](https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/pull/4532)
 
 ### Removed

diff --git a/docs/references/features-cross-reference.md b/docs/references/features-cross-reference.md
@@ -34,6 +34,17 @@
         <td style="text-align: center;">N/A</td>
         <td style="text-align: center; color: green;">✔</td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td style="padding-left: 1em;">Read Charts</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: red;">✖</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: green;">✔</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: red;">✖</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: red;">✖</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: red;">✖</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center;">N/A</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center;">N/A</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: red;">✖</td>
+    </tr>
     <tr>
         <td style="padding-left: 1em;">Read Data Only (no formatting)</td>
         <td style="text-align: center; color: green;">✔</td>
@@ -67,6 +78,17 @@
         <td style="text-align: center; color: red;">✖</td>
         <td style="text-align: center; color: green;">✔</td>
     </tr>
+    <tr>
+        <td style="padding-left: 1em;">Read External Images</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: red;">✖</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: green;">✔ <a href="#footnote9"><sup>9</sup></a></td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: red;">✖</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: red;">✖</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: red;">✖</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center;">N/A</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center;">N/A</td>
+        <td style="text-align: center; color: green;">✔ <a href="#footnote9"><sup>9</sup></a></td>
+    </tr>
     <tr>
         <td style="padding-left: 0.5em;"><strong>Document Properties</strong></td>
         <td style="text-align: center; color: orange;">●</td>
@@ -1006,6 +1028,7 @@
 6. <span id="footnote6">There is very limited support for reading styles from an Ods spreadsheet. Writing styles has better support, although Number Format is incomplete.</span>
 7. <span id="footnote7">In most cases, Html reader processes only inline styles; styles provided by Css classes may be ignored.</span>
 8. <span id="footnote8">Code must [opt in](../topics/recipes.md#array-formulas) to array output.</span>
+9. <span id="footnote9">Starting with release 4.5, code can allow or not external images. In release 4.5 (and in earlier releases which do not offer an option), default is to allow it.</span>
 
 ## Writers
 

diff --git a/docs/topics/reading-and-writing-to-file.md b/docs/topics/reading-and-writing-to-file.md
@@ -1114,7 +1114,10 @@ $reader->load("spreadsheetWithCharts.xlsx", $reader::LOAD_WITH_CHARTS);
 If you wish to use the IOFactory `load()` method rather than instantiating a specific Reader, then you can still pass these flags.
 
 ```php
-$spreadsheet = \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\IOFactory::load("spreadsheetWithCharts.xlsx", \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Reader\IReader::LOAD_WITH_CHARTS);
+$spreadsheet = \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\IOFactory::load(
+    "spreadsheetWithCharts.xlsx",
+    \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Reader\IReader::LOAD_WITH_CHARTS
+);
 ```
 
 Flags that are available that can be passed to the Reader in this way include:
@@ -1123,17 +1126,19 @@ Flags that are available that can be passed to the Reader in this way include:
  - $reader::READ_DATA_ONLY
  - $reader::IGNORE_EMPTY_CELLS
  - $reader::IGNORE_ROWS_WITH_NO_CELLS
-
-| Readers  | LOAD_WITH_CHARTS | READ_DATA_ONLY | IGNORE_EMPTY_CELLS | IGNORE_ROWS_WITH_NO_CELLS |
-|----------|------------------|----------------|--------------------|---------------------------|
-| Xlsx     | YES              | YES            | YES                | YES                       |
-| Xls      | NO               | YES            | YES                | NO                        |
-| Xml      | NO               | NO             | NO                 | NO                        |
-| Ods      | NO               | YES            | NO                 | NO                        |
-| Gnumeric | NO               | YES            | NO                 | NO                        |
-| Html     | N/A              | N/A            | N/A                | N/A                       |
-| Slk      | N/A              | NO             | NO                 | NO                        |
-| Csv      | N/A              | NO             | NO                 | NO                        |
+ - $reader::ALLOW_EXTERNAL_IMAGES (starting with release 4.5)
+ - $reader::DONT_ALLOW_EXTERNAL_IMAGES (starting with release 4.5)
+
+| Readers  | LOAD<br>CHARTS | DATA<br>ONLY | IGNORE<br>EMPTY | IGNORE<br>ROWS | EXTERNAL<br>IMAGES |
+|----------|--------|------|--------|--------|--------|
+| Xlsx     | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES |
+| Xls      | NO  | YES | YES | NO  | NO  |
+| Xml      | NO  | NO  | NO  | NO  | NO  |
+| Ods      | NO  | YES | NO  | NO  | NO  |
+| Gnumeric | NO  | YES | NO  | NO  | NO  |
+| Html     | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | YES |
+| Slk      | N/A | NO  | NO  | NO  | N/A |
+| Csv      | N/A | NO  | NO  | NO  | N/A |
 
 Likewise, when saving a file using a Writer, loaded charts will not be saved unless you explicitly tell the Writer to include them:
 

diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/BaseReader.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/BaseReader.php
@@ -47,6 +47,13 @@ abstract class BaseReader implements IReader
      */
     protected bool $ignoreRowsWithNoCells = false;
 
+    /**
+     * Allow external images. Use with caution.
+     * Improper specification of these within a spreadsheet
+     * can subject the caller to security exploits.
+     */
+    protected bool $allowExternalImages = true;
+
     /**
      * IReadFilter instance.
      */
@@ -149,6 +156,23 @@ public function setReadFilter(IReadFilter $readFilter): self
         return $this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Allow external images. Use with caution.
+     * Improper specification of these within a spreadsheet
+     * can subject the caller to security exploits.
+     */
+    public function setAllowExternalImages(bool $allowExternalImages): self
+    {
+        $this->allowExternalImages = $allowExternalImages;
+
+        return $this;
+    }
+
+    public function getAllowExternalImages(): bool
+    {
+        return $this->allowExternalImages;
+    }
+
     public function getSecurityScanner(): ?XmlScanner
     {
         return $this->securityScanner;
@@ -177,6 +201,12 @@ protected function processFlags(int $flags): void
         if (((bool) ($flags & self::IGNORE_ROWS_WITH_NO_CELLS)) === true) {
             $this->setIgnoreRowsWithNoCells(true);
         }
+        if (((bool) ($flags & self::ALLOW_EXTERNAL_IMAGES)) === true) {
+            $this->setAllowExternalImages(true);
+        }
+        if (((bool) ($flags & self::DONT_ALLOW_EXTERNAL_IMAGES)) === true) {
+            $this->setAllowExternalImages(false);
+        }
     }
 
     protected function loadSpreadsheetFromFile(string $filename): Spreadsheet

diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Html.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Html.php
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@ private function insertImage(Worksheet $sheet, string $column, int $row, array $
         $name = $attributes['alt'] ?? null;
 
         $drawing = new Drawing();
-        $drawing->setPath($src, false);
+        $drawing->setPath($src, false, allowExternal: $this->allowExternalImages);
         if ($drawing->getPath() === '') {
             return;
         }

diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/IReader.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/IReader.php
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ interface IReader
      */
     public const IGNORE_ROWS_WITH_NO_CELLS = 8;
 
+    /**
+     * Allow external images. Use with caution.
+     * Improper specification of these within a spreadsheet
+     * can subject the caller to security exploits.
+     */
+    public const ALLOW_EXTERNAL_IMAGES = 16;
+    public const DONT_ALLOW_EXTERNAL_IMAGES = 32;
+
     public function __construct();
 
     /**
@@ -132,6 +140,15 @@ public function getReadFilter(): IReadFilter;
      */
     public function setReadFilter(IReadFilter $readFilter): self;
 
+    /**
+     * Allow external images. Use with caution.
+     * Improper specification of these within a spreadsheet
+     * can subject the caller to security exploits.
+     */
+    public function setAllowExternalImages(bool $allowExternalImages): self;
+
+    public function getAllowExternalImages(): bool;
+
     /**
      * Loads PhpSpreadsheet from file.
      *
@@ -141,6 +158,9 @@ public function setReadFilter(IReadFilter $readFilter): self;
      *            self::READ_DATA_ONLY      Read only data, not style or structure information, from the file
      *            self::IGNORE_EMPTY_CELLS  Don't read empty cells (cells that contain a null value,
      *                                      empty string, or a string containing only whitespace characters)
+     *            self::IGNORE_ROWS_WITH_NO_CELLS    Don't load any rows that contain no cells.
+     *            self::ALLOW_EXTERNAL_IMAGES    Attempt to fetch images stored outside the spreadsheet.
+     *            self::DONT_ALLOW_EXTERNAL_IMAGES    Don't attempt to fetch images stored outside the spreadsheet.
      */
     public function load(string $filename, int $flags = 0): Spreadsheet;
 }
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xlsx.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xlsx.php
@@ -1518,7 +1518,7 @@ protected function loadSpreadsheetFromFile(string $filename): Spreadsheet
                                                         );
                                                         if (isset($images[$linkImageKey])) {
                                                             $url = str_replace('xl/drawings/', '', $images[$linkImageKey]);
-                                                            $objDrawing->setPath($url, false);
+                                                            $objDrawing->setPath($url, false, allowExternal: $this->allowExternalImages);
                                                         }
                                                         if ($objDrawing->getPath() === '') {
                                                             continue;
@@ -1622,7 +1622,7 @@ protected function loadSpreadsheetFromFile(string $filename): Spreadsheet
                                                         );
                                                         if (isset($images[$linkImageKey])) {
                                                             $url = str_replace('xl/drawings/', '', $images[$linkImageKey]);
-                                                            $objDrawing->setPath($url, false);
+                                                            $objDrawing->setPath($url, false, allowExternal: $this->allowExternalImages);
                                                         }
                                                         if ($objDrawing->getPath() === '') {
                                                             continue;

diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/Drawing.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/Drawing.php
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ public function getPath(): string
      *
      * @return $this
      */
-    public function setPath(string $path, bool $verifyFile = true, ?ZipArchive $zip = null): static
+    public function setPath(string $path, bool $verifyFile = true, ?ZipArchive $zip = null, bool $allowExternal = true): static
     {
         $this->isUrl = false;
         if (preg_match('~^data:image/[a-z]+;base64,~', $path) === 1) {
@@ -107,6 +107,9 @@ public function setPath(string $path, bool $verifyFile = true, ?ZipArchive $zip
             if (!preg_match('/^(http|https|file|ftp|s3):/', $path)) {
                 throw new PhpSpreadsheetException('Invalid protocol for linked drawing');
             }
+            if (!$allowExternal) {
+                return $this;
+            }
             // Implicit that it is a URL, rather store info than running check above on value in other places.
             $this->isUrl = true;
             $ctx = null;

diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/Html/HtmlHelper.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/Html/HtmlHelper.php
@@ -18,9 +18,12 @@ public static function createHtml(string $html): string
         return $filename;
     }
 
-    public static function loadHtmlIntoSpreadsheet(string $filename, bool $unlink = false): Spreadsheet
+    public static function loadHtmlIntoSpreadsheet(string $filename, bool $unlink = false, ?bool $allowExternalImages = null): Spreadsheet
     {
         $html = new Html();
+        if ($allowExternalImages !== null) {
+            $html->setAllowExternalImages($allowExternalImages);
+        }
         $spreadsheet = $html->load($filename);
         if ($unlink) {
             unlink($filename);

diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/Html/HtmlImage2Test.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/Html/HtmlImage2Test.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 class HtmlImage2Test extends TestCase
 {
-    public function testCanInsertImageGoodProtocol(): void
+    public function testCanInsertImageGoodProtocolAllowed(): void
     {
         if (getenv('SKIP_URL_IMAGE_TEST') === '1') {
             self::markTestSkipped('Skipped due to setting of environment variable');
@@ -23,16 +23,32 @@ public function testCanInsertImageGoodProtocol(): void
                     </tr>
                 </table>';
         $filename = HtmlHelper::createHtml($html);
-        $spreadsheet = HtmlHelper::loadHtmlIntoSpreadsheet($filename, true);
+        $spreadsheet = HtmlHelper::loadHtmlIntoSpreadsheet($filename, true, true);
         $firstSheet = $spreadsheet->getSheet(0);
 
         /** @var Drawing $drawing */
         $drawing = $firstSheet->getDrawingCollection()[0];
         self::assertEquals($imagePath, $drawing->getPath());
         self::assertEquals('A1', $drawing->getCoordinates());
+        $spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
     }
 
-    public function testCantInsertImageNotFound(): void
+    public function testCanInsertImageGoodProtocolNotAllowed(): void
+    {
+        $imagePath = 'https://phpspreadsheet.readthedocs.io/en/stable/topics/images/01-03-filter-icon-1.png';
+        $html = '<table>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td><img src="' . $imagePath . '" alt="test image voilà"></td>
+                    </tr>
+                </table>';
+        $filename = HtmlHelper::createHtml($html);
+        $spreadsheet = HtmlHelper::loadHtmlIntoSpreadsheet($filename, true, false);
+        $firstSheet = $spreadsheet->getSheet(0);
+        self::assertCount(0, $firstSheet->getDrawingCollection());
+        $spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
+    }
+
+    public function testCantInsertImageNotFoundAllowed(): void
     {
         if (getenv('SKIP_URL_IMAGE_TEST') === '1') {
             self::markTestSkipped('Skipped due to setting of environment variable');
@@ -44,10 +60,27 @@ public function testCantInsertImageNotFound(): void
                     </tr>
                 </table>';
         $filename = HtmlHelper::createHtml($html);
-        $spreadsheet = HtmlHelper::loadHtmlIntoSpreadsheet($filename, true);
+        $spreadsheet = HtmlHelper::loadHtmlIntoSpreadsheet($filename, true, true);
+        $firstSheet = $spreadsheet->getSheet(0);
+        $drawingCollection = $firstSheet->getDrawingCollection();
+        self::assertCount(0, $drawingCollection);
+        $spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
+    }
+
+    public function testCantInsertImageNotFoundNotAllowed(): void
+    {
+        $imagePath = 'https://phpspreadsheet.readthedocs.io/en/latest/topics/images/xxx01-03-filter-icon-1.png';
+        $html = '<table>
+                    <tr>
+                        <td><img src="' . $imagePath . '" alt="test image voilà"></td>
+                    </tr>
+                </table>';
+        $filename = HtmlHelper::createHtml($html);
+        $spreadsheet = HtmlHelper::loadHtmlIntoSpreadsheet($filename, true, false);
         $firstSheet = $spreadsheet->getSheet(0);
         $drawingCollection = $firstSheet->getDrawingCollection();
         self::assertCount(0, $drawingCollection);
+        $spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
     }
 
     #[DataProvider('providerBadProtocol')]

diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/Xlsx/URLImageTest.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/Xlsx/URLImageTest.php
@@ -12,14 +12,15 @@
 
 class URLImageTest extends TestCase
 {
-    public function testURLImageSource(): void
+    public function testURLImageSourceAllowed(): void
     {
         if (getenv('SKIP_URL_IMAGE_TEST') === '1') {
             self::markTestSkipped('Skipped due to setting of environment variable');
         }
         $filename = realpath(__DIR__ . '/../../../data/Reader/XLSX/urlImage.xlsx');
         self::assertNotFalse($filename);
         $reader = IOFactory::createReader('Xlsx');
+        $reader->setAllowExternalImages(true);
         $spreadsheet = $reader->load($filename);
         $worksheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
         $collection = $worksheet->getDrawingCollection();
@@ -37,14 +38,41 @@ public function testURLImageSource(): void
         $spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
     }
 
-    public function testURLImageSourceNotFound(): void
+    public function testURLImageSourceNotAllowed(): void
+    {
+        $filename = realpath(__DIR__ . '/../../../data/Reader/XLSX/urlImage.xlsx');
+        self::assertNotFalse($filename);
+        $reader = IOFactory::createReader('Xlsx');
+        $reader->setAllowExternalImages(false);
+        $spreadsheet = $reader->load($filename);
+        $worksheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $collection = $worksheet->getDrawingCollection();
+        self::assertCount(0, $collection);
+        $spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
+    }
+
+    public function testURLImageSourceNotFoundAllowed(): void
     {
         if (getenv('SKIP_URL_IMAGE_TEST') === '1') {
             self::markTestSkipped('Skipped due to setting of environment variable');
         }
         $filename = realpath(__DIR__ . '/../../../data/Reader/XLSX/urlImage.notfound.xlsx');
         self::assertNotFalse($filename);
         $reader = IOFactory::createReader('Xlsx');
+        $reader->setAllowExternalImages(true);
+        $spreadsheet = $reader->load($filename);
+        $worksheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $collection = $worksheet->getDrawingCollection();
+        self::assertCount(0, $collection);
+        $spreadsheet->disconnectWorksheets();
+    }
+
+    public function testURLImageSourceNotFoundNotAllowed(): void
+    {
+        $filename = realpath(__DIR__ . '/../../../data/Reader/XLSX/urlImage.notfound.xlsx');
+        self::assertNotFalse($filename);
+        $reader = IOFactory::createReader('Xlsx');
+        $reader->setAllowExternalImages(false);
         $spreadsheet = $reader->load($filename);
         $worksheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
         $collection = $worksheet->getDrawingCollection();