diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index a3b390e..4316a42 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@ Tag v1.0.0.
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-09-23: Hardened the JPEG EXIF scan behind `backup-metadata --exif` (issue
+  11). Every segment length is checked against the remaining bytes and lengths
+  under 2 stop the scan, so a truncated or corrupt original can neither throw
+  nor loop. A malformed or unparseable EXIF segment is recorded as
+  `imageMetadata.exifError`, and a failure to read the original as
+  `imageMetadataError` in the per-file JSON, instead of the field being left
+  out.
 - 2026-09-22: Stopped `make test` collecting tests from checkouts nested under
   `.claude/` (issue 25). vitest ignores `.gitignore` when finding tests, so a
   nested checkout ran the whole suite again; `vitest.config.ts` now adds
diff --git a/src/metadata-backup.ts b/src/metadata-backup.ts
index 92c068e..b022189 100644
--- a/src/metadata-backup.ts
+++ b/src/metadata-backup.ts
@@ -15,18 +15,35 @@ export interface MetadataBackupOptions {
     onProgress?: ProgressCallback;
 }
 
-// Extract the raw EXIF APP1 segment from JPEG bytes. Returns the EXIF
-// data buffer (starting after the APP1 length field, at the "Exif\0\0"
-// header) or undefined if no APP1 marker is found.
-const extractExifFromJpeg = (buf: Uint8Array): Buffer | undefined => {
-    if (buf[0] !== 0xff || buf[1] !== 0xd8) return undefined;
+// Find the raw EXIF APP1 segment in JPEG bytes. Returns `exif` (the segment
+// data, starting at the "Exif\0\0" header) when there is one, nothing when the
+// bytes are not a JPEG or carry no EXIF, and `error` when the segment layout is
+// malformed. Each segment length is checked against the bytes that remain and
+// each step moves forward by at least 4 bytes, so the scan ends on any input.
+export const extractExifFromJpeg = (
+    buf: Uint8Array,
+): { exif?: Buffer; error?: string } => {
+    if (buf[0] !== 0xff || buf[1] !== 0xd8) return {};
     let offset = 2;
-    while (offset < buf.length - 1) {
-        if (buf[offset] !== 0xff) return undefined;
+    while (offset < buf.length) {
+        if (offset + 2 > buf.length)
+            return { error: `truncated segment marker at byte ${offset}` };
+        if (buf[offset] !== 0xff)
+            return { error: `no segment marker at byte ${offset}` };
         const marker = buf[offset + 1]!;
-        if (marker === 0xda) break; // start of scan, no more markers
-        if (offset + 3 >= buf.length) break;
+        if (marker === 0xda) return {}; // start of scan, no more markers
+        if (offset + 4 > buf.length)
+            return { error: `truncated segment length at byte ${offset}` };
         const len = (buf[offset + 2]! << 8) | buf[offset + 3]!;
+        // The length counts its own two bytes, so anything under 2 is invalid.
+        if (len < 2)
+            return {
+                error: `segment length ${len} at byte ${offset} is too small`,
+            };
+        if (offset + 2 + len > buf.length)
+            return {
+                error: `segment length ${len} at byte ${offset} runs past the end of the file`,
+            };
         if (marker === 0xe1) {
             // APP1 — check for "Exif\0\0" header
             if (
@@ -35,65 +52,70 @@ const extractExifFromJpeg = (buf: Uint8Array): Buffer | undefined => {
                 buf[offset + 6] === 0x69 &&
                 buf[offset + 7] === 0x66
             ) {
-                return Buffer.from(
-                    buf.buffer,
-                    buf.byteOffset + offset + 4,
-                    len - 2,
-                );
+                return {
+                    exif: Buffer.from(
+                        buf.buffer,
+                        buf.byteOffset + offset + 4,
+                        len - 2,
+                    ),
+                };
             }
         }
         offset += 2 + len;
     }
-    return undefined;
+    return { error: "file ends before the image data" };
 };
 
-const extractImageMetadata = (
+// Extract dimensions, EXIF and XMP from a file's bytes. When the EXIF segment
+// is malformed or cannot be parsed, the record carries the reason in
+// `exifError`.
+export const extractImageMetadata = (
     fileBytes: Uint8Array,
 ): Record<string, unknown> | undefined => {
+    const result: Record<string, unknown> = {};
+
+    // Try to get dimensions from JPEG decode
     try {
-        const result: Record<string, unknown> = {};
-
-        // Try to get dimensions from JPEG decode
-        try {
-            const decoded = jpeg.decode(fileBytes, {
-                useTArray: true,
-                formatAsRGBA: false,
-            });
-            result.format = "jpeg";
-            result.width = decoded.width;
-            result.height = decoded.height;
-        } catch {
-            // Not a JPEG or corrupt; still try EXIF extraction
-        }
-
-        const exifBuf = extractExifFromJpeg(fileBytes);
-        if (exifBuf) {
-            try {
-                result.exif = exifReader(exifBuf);
-            } catch {
-                result.exifRaw = exifBuf.toString("base64");
-            }
-        }
-
-        // Extract XMP (look for "http://ns.adobe.com/xap" in the bytes)
-        const xmpStart = Buffer.from(fileBytes).indexOf("<?xpacket begin");
-        if (xmpStart !== -1) {
-            const xmpEnd = Buffer.from(fileBytes).indexOf(
-                "<?xpacket end",
-                xmpStart,
-            );
-            if (xmpEnd !== -1) {
-                const end = Buffer.from(fileBytes).indexOf("?>", xmpEnd);
-                result.xmp = Buffer.from(fileBytes)
-                    .subarray(xmpStart, end !== -1 ? end + 2 : xmpEnd + 50)
-                    .toString("utf-8");
-            }
-        }
-
-        return Object.keys(result).length > 0 ? result : undefined;
+        const decoded = jpeg.decode(fileBytes, {
+            useTArray: true,
+            formatAsRGBA: false,
+        });
+        result.format = "jpeg";
+        result.width = decoded.width;
+        result.height = decoded.height;
     } catch {
-        return undefined;
+        // Not every original is a JPEG (PNG, HEIC, video), so a failed decode
+        // is expected and only means no dimensions; a malformed JPEG is still
+        // reported below through `exifError`.
     }
+
+    const { exif, error } = extractExifFromJpeg(fileBytes);
+    if (error) result.exifError = error;
+    if (exif) {
+        try {
+            result.exif = exifReader(exif);
+        } catch (err) {
+            result.exifRaw = exif.toString("base64");
+            result.exifError = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Extract XMP (look for "http://ns.adobe.com/xap" in the bytes)
+    const xmpStart = Buffer.from(fileBytes).indexOf("<?xpacket begin");
+    if (xmpStart !== -1) {
+        const xmpEnd = Buffer.from(fileBytes).indexOf(
+            "<?xpacket end",
+            xmpStart,
+        );
+        if (xmpEnd !== -1) {
+            const end = Buffer.from(fileBytes).indexOf("?>", xmpEnd);
+            result.xmp = Buffer.from(fileBytes)
+                .subarray(xmpStart, end !== -1 ? end + 2 : xmpEnd + 50)
+                .toString("utf-8");
+        }
+    }
+
+    return Object.keys(result).length > 0 ? result : undefined;
 };
 
 // Read a file's original bytes through the library's content cache and extract
@@ -103,13 +125,9 @@ const extractImageMetadata = (
 const extractExif = async (
     photo: Photo,
 ): Promise<Record<string, unknown> | undefined> => {
-    try {
-        const { path } = await photo.original();
-        const fileBytes = new Uint8Array(readFileSync(path));
-        return extractImageMetadata(fileBytes);
-    } catch {
-        return undefined;
-    }
+    const { path } = await photo.original();
+    const fileBytes = new Uint8Array(readFileSync(path));
+    return extractImageMetadata(fileBytes);
 };
 
 // Dump every decrypted metadata layer the account holds into a directory tree
@@ -215,8 +233,13 @@ export const runMetadataBackup = async (
 
         if (wantExif && !writtenFileIDs.has(file.id)) {
             log(`[${file.metadata.title}] Extracting EXIF...`);
-            const exifData = await extractExif(photo);
-            if (exifData) fileMeta.imageMetadata = exifData;
+            try {
+                const exifData = await extractExif(photo);
+                if (exifData) fileMeta.imageMetadata = exifData;
+            } catch (err) {
+                fileMeta.imageMetadataError =
+                    err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+            }
         }
         writtenFileIDs.add(file.id);
 
diff --git a/test/cli/metadata-backup.test.ts b/test/cli/metadata-backup.test.ts
index 560ca76..b1f435b 100644
--- a/test/cli/metadata-backup.test.ts
+++ b/test/cli/metadata-backup.test.ts
@@ -621,5 +621,18 @@ describe("quak backup-metadata", () => {
         expect(fileMeta.imageMetadata.format).toBe("jpeg");
         expect(fileMeta.imageMetadata.width).toBe(100);
         expect(fileMeta.imageMetadata.height).toBe(80);
+        expect(fileMeta.imageMetadataError).toBeUndefined();
+
+        // File 200 has no original on the mock server, so extraction fails
+        // and the reason is recorded instead of the field being left out.
+        const workDir = collDirs.find((d) => d.includes("Work"))!;
+        const failedMeta = JSON.parse(
+            readFileSync(
+                join(outDir, "collections", workDir, "200.json"),
+                "utf-8",
+            ),
+        );
+        expect(failedMeta.imageMetadata).toBeUndefined();
+        expect(failedMeta.imageMetadataError).toEqual(expect.any(String));
     });
 });
diff --git a/test/cli/metadata-exif.test.ts b/test/cli/metadata-exif.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fdaafa2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/metadata-exif.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for the JPEG EXIF scan behind `quak backup-metadata --exif`.
+ *
+ * The originals come from users' libraries, so a truncated or corrupt JPEG
+ * must neither hang the scan nor throw out of it, and a malformed file must be
+ * told apart from one that simply has no EXIF: the record carries the reason in
+ * `exifError`. Each input below is a short hand-built byte array.
+ */
+
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import {
+    extractExifFromJpeg,
+    extractImageMetadata,
+} from "../../src/metadata-backup.js";
+
+const SOI = [0xff, 0xd8]; // start of image
+const SOS = [0xff, 0xda, 0x00, 0x02]; // start of scan, where the scan stops
+const EXIF_HEADER = [0x45, 0x78, 0x69, 0x66, 0x00, 0x00]; // "Exif\0\0"
+
+// A big-endian TIFF block with one IFD entry: Orientation (0x0112), SHORT, 6.
+const TIFF_ORIENTATION_6 = [
+    0x4d, 0x4d, 0x00, 0x2a, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x08, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01, 0x12,
+    0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x00, 0x06, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00,
+    0x00, 0x00,
+];
+
+// An APP1 segment whose length field matches its data.
+const app1 = (data: number[]): number[] => {
+    const len = data.length + 2;
+    return [0xff, 0xe1, len >> 8, len & 0xff, ...data];
+};
+
+const bytes = (...parts: number[][]): Uint8Array =>
+    new Uint8Array(parts.flat());
+
+describe("extractExifFromJpeg", () => {
+    it("returns the EXIF segment of a valid JPEG", () => {
+        const data = [...EXIF_HEADER, ...TIFF_ORIENTATION_6];
+        const scan = extractExifFromJpeg(bytes(SOI, app1(data), SOS));
+        expect(scan.error).toBeUndefined();
+        expect([...scan.exif!]).toEqual(data);
+    });
+
+    it("returns nothing for a file that is not a JPEG", () => {
+        const png = bytes([0x89, 0x50, 0x4e, 0x47, 0x0d, 0x0a, 0x1a, 0x0a]);
+        expect(extractExifFromJpeg(png)).toEqual({});
+    });
+
+    it("returns nothing for a JPEG without EXIF", () => {
+        const app0 = [0xff, 0xe0, 0x00, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00];
+        expect(extractExifFromJpeg(bytes(SOI, app0, SOS))).toEqual({});
+    });
+
+    it("reports a JPEG truncated inside a segment header", () => {
+        const scan = extractExifFromJpeg(bytes(SOI, [0xff, 0xe1, 0x00]));
+        expect(scan.exif).toBeUndefined();
+        expect(scan.error).toMatch(/truncated segment length/);
+    });
+
+    it("reports a JPEG that ends before the image data", () => {
+        const app0 = [0xff, 0xe0, 0x00, 0x04, 0x00, 0x00];
+        const scan = extractExifFromJpeg(bytes(SOI, app0));
+        expect(scan.error).toMatch(/ends before the image data/);
+    });
+
+    it("stops on a zero-length segment instead of looping", () => {
+        // A length of 0 would otherwise step the scan by 2 bytes at a time
+        // through the rest of the file, reading garbage as markers.
+        const zero = [0xff, 0xe0, 0x00, 0x00];
+        const scan = extractExifFromJpeg(
+            bytes(SOI, zero, zero, zero, zero, SOS),
+        );
+        expect(scan.error).toMatch(/segment length 0 at byte 2 is too small/);
+    });
+
+    it("stops on a segment length of 1", () => {
+        const scan = extractExifFromJpeg(
+            bytes(SOI, [0xff, 0xe0, 0x00, 0x01], SOS),
+        );
+        expect(scan.error).toMatch(/segment length 1 at byte 2 is too small/);
+    });
+
+    it("reports a segment length that runs past the end of the file", () => {
+        // APP1 claims 0x4000 bytes but only the "Exif\0\0" header follows.
+        const scan = extractExifFromJpeg(
+            bytes(SOI, [0xff, 0xe1, 0x40, 0x00], EXIF_HEADER),
+        );
+        expect(scan.exif).toBeUndefined();
+        expect(scan.error).toMatch(/runs past the end of the file/);
+    });
+});
+
+describe("extractImageMetadata", () => {
+    it("parses EXIF from a valid JPEG", () => {
+        const meta = extractImageMetadata(
+            bytes(SOI, app1([...EXIF_HEADER, ...TIFF_ORIENTATION_6]), SOS),
+        );
+        expect(meta?.exifError).toBeUndefined();
+        expect(meta?.exif).toMatchObject({ Image: { Orientation: 6 } });
+    });
+
+    it("returns nothing for a file that is not a JPEG", () => {
+        const text = new TextEncoder().encode("just some text, not an image");
+        expect(extractImageMetadata(text)).toBeUndefined();
+    });
+
+    it("records the reason when the JPEG is malformed", () => {
+        const meta = extractImageMetadata(
+            bytes(SOI, [0xff, 0xe1, 0x40, 0x00], EXIF_HEADER),
+        );
+        expect(meta?.exif).toBeUndefined();
+        expect(meta?.exifError).toMatch(/runs past the end of the file/);
+    });
+
+    it("keeps the raw bytes and the reason when EXIF cannot be parsed", () => {
+        const data = [...EXIF_HEADER, 0x58, 0x58];
+        const meta = extractImageMetadata(bytes(SOI, app1(data), SOS));
+        expect(meta?.exif).toBeUndefined();
+        expect(meta?.exifRaw).toBe(Buffer.from(data).toString("base64"));
+        expect(meta?.exifError).toEqual(expect.any(String));
+    });
+});