CVE-2022-28550 in jhead
Summary
by MITRE • 06/13/2023
Matthias-Wandel/jhead jhead 3.06 is vulnerable to Buffer Overflow via shellescape(), jhead.c, jhead. jhead copies strings to a stack buffer when it detects a &i or &o. However, jhead does not check the boundary of the stack buffer. As a result, there will be a stack buffer overflow problem when multiple `&i` or `&o` are given.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/20/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-28550 affects Matthias-Wandel/jhead version 3.06, a widely used command-line utility for extracting and manipulating jpeg header information. This tool is commonly employed in various security and forensic applications where metadata extraction from image files is required. The vulnerability stems from improper buffer boundary checking within the shellescape() function in jhead.c, which is responsible for handling shell escape sequences during command execution. The flaw specifically manifests when the application processes input strings containing multiple occurrences of &i or &o placeholders, which are used to represent input and output file paths respectively in the command execution context.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a classic stack buffer overflow condition where the jhead utility copies strings into a fixed-size stack buffer without performing adequate boundary checks. When multiple &i or &o placeholders are present in the input, the shellescape() function fails to validate whether the destination buffer can accommodate the expanded string content. This unchecked buffer copy operation allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent stack memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or application crash. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as a stack-based buffer overflow, which represents a well-known and dangerous class of memory corruption vulnerabilities that have been extensively documented in the security community.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as it can be exploited in various attack scenarios including privilege escalation and remote code execution. An attacker could craft malicious input containing numerous &i or &o placeholders to overflow the stack buffer and potentially overwrite critical program execution elements such as return addresses or saved registers. This type of vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where jhead is used in automated processing pipelines or security tools that might be exposed to untrusted input from external sources. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and script injection, as it enables attackers to manipulate command execution flows through crafted input parameters.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-28550 should begin with immediate patching of the jhead utility to version 3.07 or later, which includes proper buffer boundary checking in the shellescape() function. Organizations should implement input validation measures to restrict the number of &i and &o placeholders allowed in command execution contexts, and consider employing sandboxing techniques when processing untrusted input. Additionally, security teams should monitor for potential exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis and application logs, as the vulnerability may be leveraged in automated attacks against systems that process user-supplied image metadata. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing of patched versions to ensure that the buffer overflow protection does not introduce regressions in legitimate functionality while maintaining the utility's core capabilities for jpeg header manipulation.