CVE-2026-76060 in ZoneMinder
Summary
by MITRE • 08/28/2026
An authenticated OS command injection vulnerability exists in ZoneMinder's event export functionality. The exportFile HTTP request parameter is passed unsanitized into a shell command executed via PHP's exec(), allowing any authenticated user with View Events permission to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the server.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2026
The identified vulnerability represents a critical security flaw within ZoneMinder, specifically located in its event export functionality. This issue is classified as an OS Command Injection, which corresponds to CWE-78 in the Common Weakness Enumeration standard. The root cause lies in the improper neutralization of special elements used in operating system commands, where user-supplied input is directly incorporated into a command string without adequate validation or sanitization. In this specific instance, the vulnerability affects the exportFile HTTP request parameter. When an authenticated user initiates an event export operation, the value provided for this parameter is passed unsanitized to PHP's exec() function. This function executes shell commands on the underlying operating system, and because the input is not properly escaped or filtered, it allows for the injection of arbitrary command-line arguments that are executed with the privileges of the web server process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for remote code execution. Although the attacker must first authenticate to the ZoneMinder application and possess at least View Events permissions, these prerequisites are relatively low-barrier in many deployment scenarios where default credentials or weak authentication policies may exist. Once authenticated, an adversary can leverage the unsanitized exportFile parameter to execute arbitrary operating system commands. This capability effectively grants the attacker full control over the compromised server's command shell. Depending on the configuration of the web service and the underlying operating system, this could lead to complete system compromise, including data exfiltration, installation of persistent backdoors, lateral movement within the network, or disruption of surveillance services by modifying or deleting critical video archives and logs.
From a tactical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically Command and Scripting Interpreter sub-techniques such as sh (T1059.004) or cmd.exe (T1059.008), depending on the target OS. The attack vector involves exploiting a web application interface to achieve code execution, which falls under T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application. The lack of input validation is a classic example of CWE-20: Improper Input Validation, compounded by CWE-78 in its specific manifestation as command injection. This combination highlights the danger of relying on application-level authentication without implementing robust defense-in-depth measures such as strict output encoding and parameterized execution methods that avoid shell interpretation entirely.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The most effective solution is to upgrade ZoneMinder to a version where this vulnerability has been patched by the developers, ensuring that the exportFile parameter is properly sanitized or replaced with safer API endpoints that do not invoke system shells directly. If an immediate patch is unavailable, administrators should implement strict input validation on the server side to reject any characters commonly used in command injection attacks, such as semicolons, ampersands, pipes, and backticks. Additionally, restricting the permissions of the web service account running ZoneMinder can limit the blast radius of a successful exploitation attempt by ensuring that even if commands are executed, they cannot access sensitive system files or escalate privileges. Network-level controls, such as Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), should also be configured to detect and block patterns indicative of command injection payloads in HTTP requests targeting ZoneMinder endpoints. Regular security audits and code reviews focusing on functions like exec(), system(), and passthru() are essential to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced or persisting in the application logic.