Photo Fraud

A JPEG (challenge.jpg) edited to hide the flag, but the embedded EXIF thumbnail was never regenerated and still shows the original unedited shot.

Solve

1. Confirm the image carries an embedded thumbnail:

exiftool -ThumbnailImage challenge.jpg

2. Extract the thumbnail to a file:

exiftool -ThumbnailImage -b challenge.jpg > thumbnail.jpg

3. Open thumbnail.jpg. It shows the original storefront photo with a sign in the window reading the flag.

Flag: SVIUSCG{meridian_thumbnail_reveal_garret}