CVE-2026-101947 in ExifTool
Summary
by MITRE • 10/10/2026
ExifTool for photo and video 5.0.1-gms by CellHubs constructs shell command strings from file paths and invokes /system/bin/sh -c. In the CSV-export path, the selected media path is merely surrounded with single quotes; embedded single quotes are not escaped.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2026
The vulnerability identified in ExifTool for photo and video version 5.0.1-gms by CellHubs represents a critical command injection flaw arising from improper neutralization of special elements used in shell commands, commonly categorized under CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command. The application is designed to process metadata within image and video files, but its implementation fails to adequately sanitize user-supplied input when constructing operating system-level command strings. Specifically, the software invokes the system shell by executing /system/bin/sh with a -c flag, passing a constructed string that includes file paths provided by the user or derived from application context. This architectural decision introduces significant risk if the input data is not rigorously validated and escaped before being passed to the interpreter.
The technical root cause lies in the CSV-export functionality of the application. When generating exports, the selected media path is enclosed within single quotes to handle spaces or special characters safely. However, this protection mechanism is flawed because embedded single quotes within the file path are not escaped or removed. In shell scripting environments like those found on Android systems using /system/bin/sh, a single quote terminates the quoted string immediately. Consequently, if a malicious actor can influence the filename or directory structure to include a single quote character, they can break out of the intended command context. For instance, a file path ending in an apostrophe allows subsequent characters to be interpreted as part of the shell command rather than data arguments. This structural weakness enables arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the application process on the host device.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to both user privacy and system integrity. An attacker who can trick a victim into opening or exporting a specifically crafted media file could achieve remote code execution without any additional interaction beyond the initial action triggering the export function. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, where adversaries leverage built-in OS tools to execute malicious payloads. The impact extends beyond simple data exfiltration; successful exploitation allows for full compromise of the application sandbox, potentially leading to access to sensitive personal photos, videos, and metadata stored on the device. Furthermore, depending on the permissions granted to ExifTool by CellHubs, this could serve as a pivot point for further lateral movement within the mobile operating system or installation of persistent malware components disguised as legitimate media processing tasks.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term secure coding practices. The most effective solution is to eliminate the use of shell interpreters entirely when possible by utilizing native API calls that handle file operations directly, thereby bypassing command injection vectors altogether. If invoking a system process remains necessary for specific legacy functionality, developers must implement strict input validation that rejects any filenames containing single quotes or other dangerous shell metacharacters. Alternatively, if dynamic construction is unavoidable, all special characters in the path string must be properly escaped according to the syntax rules of /system/bin/sh, ensuring that user-supplied data cannot alter the command structure. CellHubs should release a patched version immediately and advise users to update their installations to prevent exploitation by threat actors actively scanning for vulnerable media processing applications on Android devices.