# CVE-2022-23935: Command injection in n/a

> Attackers can execute arbitrary commands via crafted input due to improper handling of pipe characters in ExifTool.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Jan 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-23935, GHSA-jx53-3cxj-386g, MGASA-2022-0381, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-23935, openSUSE-SU-2024:11794-1

## What is CVE-2022-23935?

CVE-2022-23935 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Jan 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

lib/Image/ExifTool.pm in ExifTool before 12.38 mishandles a $file =~ /\|$/ check, leading to command injection.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-23935?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `exiftool` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 12.39-1.1 |

Products: Exiftool Project Exiftool.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-23935?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2022-23935 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-23935 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- 🐍 Python Exploit for CVE-2022-23935 (github_poc): https://github.com/BKreisel/CVE-2022-23935
- CVE-2022-23935 exploit PoC exiftool version 12.37 written in python (github_poc): https://github.com/cowsecurity/CVE-2022-23935
- CVE-2022-23935 exploit PoC exiftool version 12.37 (github_poc): https://github.com/dpbe32/CVE-2022-23935-PoC-Exploit
- https://github.com/antisecc/CVE-2022-23935 (github_poc): https://github.com/antisecc/CVE-2022-23935

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2018-20211](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-20211/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2026-3102](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-3102/): exiftool PNG File MacOS.pm SetMacOSTags os command injection (medium 5.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-23935 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-23935 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Jan 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-23935 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23935/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23935/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-23935
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23935
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-23935

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23935/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.