ExifTool Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Exploited since 2021-11-17. No WAF vendor names it yet.
Improper neutralization of user data in the DjVu file format in ExifTool versions 7.44 and up allows arbitrary code execution when parsing the malicious image
Edge coverage
Claimed by vendorsAsk Vigil
AI · answers from this pageWorkers AI (Llama 3.3). Can be wrong: check the cited source.
Severity, decoded
CVSS 3.1Exploitable with local access, with no privileges and no user interaction, leading to low impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability, and the impact can reach components beyond the vulnerable one.
How the score is built
- Attack vectorAn attacker needs local access, or must trick a user into opening something on the machine.Local
- Attack complexityNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.Low
- Privileges requiredNo account or login is needed.None
- User interactionNo one has to click or open anything; the attack works on its own.None
- ScopeThe attack can spread beyond the vulnerable component to other parts of the system.Changed
- Confidentiality impactAn attacker can read some data, but has no control over what they get.Low
- Integrity impactAn attacker can change some data, but with limited control or limited effect.Low
- Availability impactAn attacker can slow the component down or interrupt it now and then.Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:LAttackers are exploiting this in the wild.
At least one step needs hands-on work, which slows mass attacks.
A successful attack gives limited control over the affected software or limited access to its data.
Public exploits
3 found- MetasploitExifTool DjVu ANT Perl injection2021-05-24 · exploit · rank Excellent
- MetasploitGitLab Unauthenticated Remote ExifTool Command Injection2021-04-14 · exploit · rank Excellent · has check
- Exploit-DBExifTool 12.23 - Arbitrary Code Execution2022-05-11 · local · linux
Links are to third-party code: never run it outside an isolated lab.
Timeline
- 2021-04-14Metasploit module publishedGitLab Unauthenticated Remote ExifTool Command Injection
- 2021-04-23CVE publishedCVE List
- 2021-11-17Added to CISA KEVConfirmed exploitation in the wild
- 2022-05-11Exploit published on Exploit-DBExifTool 12.23 - Arbitrary Code Execution
Vendor statements
QuotedCloudflareWAF Managed Rules
The CVE predates the oldest entry in this vendor's public feed, so a rule may exist that we cannot see.
AWSAWS WAF Managed Rules
We found no public statement from this vendor naming this CVE. That is not proof of no protection: generic rules may still catch it. AWS often describes a vulnerability without naming its CVE (for example "Log4j"). We count only entries that name the CVE, so AWS coverage is understated.
Microsoft AzureFront Door and Application Gateway WAF (DRS)
We found no public statement from this vendor naming this CVE. That is not proof of no protection: generic rules may still catch it. The rule tables name CVEs but carry no dates, so Azure is left out of every time-to-rule figure.
Google CloudCloud Armor preconfigured WAF rules
The CVE predates the oldest entry in this vendor's public feed, so a rule may exist that we cannot see.
FastlyNext-Gen WAF virtual patches
The CVE predates the oldest entry in this vendor's public feed, so a rule may exist that we cannot see.
F5Attack signatures (Distributed Cloud WAF)
The CVE predates the oldest entry in this vendor's public feed, so a rule may exist that we cannot see.
AkamaiApp & API Protector (Adaptive Security Engine)
This vendor publishes no machine-readable rule changelog we can check.
OWASP CRSCore Rule Set (open source, used inside many WAFs)
The CVE predates the oldest entry in this vendor's public feed, so a rule may exist that we cannot see.
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