CVE-2026-112263 in Television
Summary
by MITRE • 10/19/2026
Television (tv) 0.15.0 through 0.15.9 contains an OS command injection vulnerability that allows attackers to run shell commands through improperly escaped single quotes in format_command. Attackers can plant a file with a crafted name containing an apostrophe so that triggering an action like the default edit action executes commands with victim privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/19/2026
The television software version 0.15.0 through 0.15.9 suffers from a critical operating system command injection vulnerability rooted in improper input validation and sanitization within the format_command function. This flaw allows remote or local attackers to execute arbitrary shell commands on the affected device with the privileges of the victim process, typically root or a high-privilege service account depending on how the television software is deployed. The core technical issue lies in the failure to properly escape single quotes when constructing system calls. In many scripting environments and command-line interfaces, single quotes are used to delimit string arguments that should be treated as literal text rather than executable code. When an application fails to sanitize or escape these characters before passing them to a shell interpreter, it creates a vector for injection where malicious input can break out of the intended argument boundary and inject additional commands into the execution pipeline.
The attack scenario described involves planting a file with a crafted name that contains an apostrophe character. This suggests that the television software likely processes filenames or metadata associated with media files as part of its normal operation, such as when displaying file lists, generating thumbnails, or editing file properties via the default edit action. When the user triggers this action, the application constructs a command string using the filename without adequately escaping special characters. Because single quotes are not properly handled, an attacker who controls the content of the directory where these files reside can inject shell metacharacters that terminate the original argument and append new commands. For example, if the internal logic uses a pattern like system('edit_file ' + filename), providing a file named test'.sh; malicious_command would result in the execution of edit_file test'. followed by sh; malicious_command, effectively bypassing any intended restrictions on what actions can be performed via that interface.
This vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command, commonly known as OS Command Injection. It also maps to the MITRE ATT&CK framework technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically under sub-techniques that involve shell commands such as sh or bash. The impact is severe because television devices often run with elevated privileges to manage hardware components like tuners, network interfaces, and storage systems. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to gain full control over the device, install persistent malware, exfiltrate sensitive data stored on the device, use the television as a pivot point for further attacks within the local network, or disrupt service by crashing system processes. In smart TV ecosystems, this can also lead to privacy violations if cameras or microphones are accessed via injected commands that interact with hardware drivers.
Mitigation strategies must focus on both immediate remediation and long-term secure development practices. The most effective fix is to replace the use of shell interpreters for executing internal operations with direct API calls or library functions that do not invoke a command interpreter, thereby eliminating the injection surface entirely. If shell execution is unavoidable, developers must implement strict input validation using allowlists rather than blocklists and ensure all user-supplied data is properly escaped according to the specific context in which it will be used. Additionally, applying principle of least privilege by running television software components with minimal necessary permissions can limit the impact of successful exploitation. Organizations deploying these devices should apply vendor-provided patches immediately upon release for versions 0.15.0 through 0.15.9 and audit any custom integrations that might pass untrusted data to system commands. Regular security testing, including static analysis and dynamic penetration testing focused on command injection vectors, is essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future releases.