exiftool-vendored: Argument injection via newline characters in tag names
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Low · High · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-88.
Summary
exiftool-vendored provides cross-platform Node.js access to ExifTool. Prior to 35.19.0, exiftool-vendored starts ExifTool in -stay_open True -@ - mode, where arguments are read from stdin one per line. In affected versions, several caller-supplied strings were interpolated into ExifTool arguments without rejecting line delimiters. A newline or carriage return inside one of those strings could split a single intended argument into multiple ExifTool arguments, allowing argument injection. The fix also rejects NUL bytes as unsafe control characters. Applications that pass attacker-controlled strings to affected APIs may allow an attacker to make ExifTool read files accessible to the ExifTool process, or write output to attacker-chosen file system paths accessible to that process. No remote code execution has been demonstrated. This vulnerability is fixed in 35.19.0.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- Yes
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| photostructure | exiftool-vendored.js | before 35.19.0 | 35.19.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | exiftool-vendored (npm) | before 35.19.0 | 35.19.0 | Patch available | GHSA-cw26-7653-2rp5 |
- exiftool-vendored.js Vendorphotostructure Affected before 35.19.0 Fixed in 35.19.0 Patch available CNA
- exiftool-vendored (npm) Vendor— Affected before 35.19.0 Fixed in 35.19.0 Patch available GHSA-cw26-7653-2rp5
Remediation
- Fix · CNA exiftool-vendored.js (photostructure) Fixed in 35.19.0
- Fix · GHSA-cw26-7653-2rp5 exiftool-vendored (npm) Fixed in 35.19.0 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-43893
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-cw26-7653-2rp5
References
Sources
- CVE-2026-43893 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-43893 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-cw26-7653-2rp5 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences