# CVE-2021-22204: ExifTool Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> CVE-2021-22204: ExifTool Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. CVSS 6.8 (CVSS 3.1), in CISA KEV.

Canonical: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2021-22204
Last updated: 2025-10-21T23:25:48Z

- Published: 2021-04-23 17:22 UTC · Updated: 2025-10-21 23:25 UTC · Assigner: GitLab
- CVSS: 6.8 (CVSS 3.1) · Severity: Medium · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
- EPSS: 100.0%, 100th percentile (scored 2026-10-25)
- CISA KEV: yes, added 2021-11-17, federal due date 2021-12-01, ransomware use: Unknown

## Description

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

## CISA required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

## Affected vendors and products

- ExifTool: ExifTool

## References

- [CVE record on cve.org](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-22204)
- [NVD entry](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22204)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162558/ExifTool-DjVu-ANT-Perl-Injection.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162558/ExifTool-DjVu-ANT-Perl-Injection.html)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164768/GitLab-Unauthenticated-Remote-ExifTool-Command-Injection.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164768/GitLab-Unauthenticated-Remote-ExifTool-Command-Injection.html)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164994/GitLab-13.10.2-Remote-Code-Execution.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164994/GitLab-13.10.2-Remote-Code-Execution.html)
- [http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167038/ExifTool-12.23-Arbitrary-Code-Execution.html](http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167038/ExifTool-12.23-Arbitrary-Code-Execution.html)
- [https://github.com/exiftool/exiftool/commit/cf0f4e7dcd024ca99615bfd1102a841a25dde031\#diff-fa0d652d10dbcd246e6b1df16c1e992931d3bb717a7e36157596b76bdadb3800](https://github.com/exiftool/exiftool/commit/cf0f4e7dcd024ca99615bfd1102a841a25dde031#diff-fa0d652d10dbcd246e6b1df16c1e992931d3bb717a7e36157596b76bdadb3800)
- [https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cves/-/blob/master/2021/CVE-2021-22204.json](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/cves/-/blob/master/2021/CVE-2021-22204.json)
- [https://hackerone.com/reports/1154542](https://hackerone.com/reports/1154542)
- [https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/05/msg00018.html](https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/05/msg00018.html)
- [https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/DDKDLJLBTBBR66OOPXSXCG2PQRM5KCZL/](https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%2540lists.fedoraproject.org/message/DDKDLJLBTBBR66OOPXSXCG2PQRM5KCZL/)
- [https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/F6UOBPU3LSHAPRRJNISNVXZ5DSUIALLV/](https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%2540lists.fedoraproject.org/message/F6UOBPU3LSHAPRRJNISNVXZ5DSUIALLV/)
- [https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/U4RF6PJCJ6NQOVJJJF6HN6BORUQVIXY6/](https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%2540lists.fedoraproject.org/message/U4RF6PJCJ6NQOVJJJF6HN6BORUQVIXY6/)
- [https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4910](https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4910)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/09/1](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/09/1)
- [http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/10/5](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/10/5)

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_Sources: CVE records from the CVE Program (cve.org). CVE® is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. (https://www.cve.org/) This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. (https://nvd.nist.gov/) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog from CISA. (https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog) EPSS scores from FIRST (Exploit Prediction Scoring System). (https://www.first.org/epss/)_


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Canonical: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2021-22204 · Markdown: https://rewindex.com/cve/CVE-2021-22204.md · JSON: https://rewindex.com/api/v1/cves/CVE-2021-22204 · Data licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) · Generated 2026-10-26T04:04:37.674Z