diff --git a/config.template b/config.template
index 2dde9e1..acde289 100644
--- a/config.template
+++ b/config.template
@@ -285,6 +285,9 @@ news_file_path = news.txt
 news_random_line = False
 # enable the use of exernal shell commands, this enables some data in `sysinfo`
 enable_runShellCmd = False
+# if runShellCmd and you think it is safe to allow the x: command to run
+# direct shell command handler the x: command in DMs
+allowXcmd = False
 
 [smtp]
 # enable or disable the SMTP module
diff --git a/mesh_bot.py b/mesh_bot.py
index cac0ad8..a02725d 100755
--- a/mesh_bot.py
+++ b/mesh_bot.py
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ def auto_response(message, snr, rssi, hop, pkiStatus, message_from_id, channel_n
     "wx": lambda: handle_wxc(message_from_id, deviceID, 'wx'),
     "wxa": lambda: handle_wxalert(message_from_id, deviceID, message),
     "wxalert": lambda: handle_wxalert(message_from_id, deviceID, message),
+    "x:": lambda: handleShellCmd(message, message_from_id, channel_number, isDM, deviceID),
     "wxc": lambda: handle_wxc(message_from_id, deviceID, 'wxc'),
     "📍": lambda: handle_whoami(message_from_id, deviceID, hop, snr, rssi, pkiStatus),
     "🔔": lambda: handle_alertBell(message_from_id, deviceID, message),
@@ -1518,6 +1519,8 @@ async def start_rx():
         logger.debug(f"System: File Monitor Enabled for {file_monitor_file_path}, broadcasting to channels: {file_monitor_broadcastCh}")
         if enable_runShellCmd:
             logger.debug(f"System: Shell Command monitor enabled")
+        if allowXcmd and enable_runShellCmd:
+            logger.warning(f"System: File Monitor shell XCMD Enabled")
         if read_news_enabled:
             logger.debug(f"System: File Monitor News Reader Enabled for {news_file_path}")
         if bee_enabled:
diff --git a/modules/filemon.py b/modules/filemon.py
index 9ea1914..ecc1ed3 100644
--- a/modules/filemon.py
+++ b/modules/filemon.py
@@ -82,4 +82,29 @@ def call_external_script(message, script="script/runShell.sh"):
     except Exception as e:
         logger.warning(f"FileMon: Error calling external script: {e}")
         return None
-    
\ No newline at end of file
+
+def handleShellCmd(message, message_from_id, channel_number, isDM, deviceID):
+    if not allowXcmd:
+        return "x: command is disabled"
+    
+    if str(message_from_id) not in bbs_admin_list:
+        logger.warning(f"FileMon: Unauthorized x: command attempt from {message_from_id}")
+        return "x: command not authorized"
+    
+    if not isDM:
+        return "x: command not authorized in group chat"
+    
+    if enable_runShellCmd:
+        command = message.removeprefix("x: ").strip()
+        try:
+            logger.info(f"FileMon: Running shell command from {message_from_id}: {command}")
+            output = os.popen(command).read().encode('utf-8').decode('utf-8')
+            if output:
+                return output
+            else:
+                return "x: command returned no output"
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.warning(f"FileMon: Error running shell command: {e}")
+            return "x: command error"
+    else:
+        return "x: command is disabled"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/modules/settings.py b/modules/settings.py
index fa72579..e7825eb 100644
--- a/modules/settings.py
+++ b/modules/settings.py
@@ -357,6 +357,7 @@ try:
     news_file_path = config['fileMon'].get('news_file_path', 'news.txt') # default news.txt
     news_random_line_only = config['fileMon'].getboolean('news_random_line', False) # default False
     enable_runShellCmd = config['fileMon'].getboolean('enable_runShellCmd', False) # default False
+    allowXcmd = config['fileMon'].getboolean('allowXcmd', False) # default False
 
     # games
     game_hop_limit = config['messagingSettings'].getint('game_hop_limit', 5) # default 3 hops
diff --git a/modules/system.py b/modules/system.py
index 2f6a65f..88b4b66 100644
--- a/modules/system.py
+++ b/modules/system.py
@@ -260,6 +260,10 @@ if file_monitor_enabled or read_news_enabled or bee_enabled:
     # Bee Configuration uses file monitor module
     if bee_enabled:
         trap_list = trap_list + ("🐝",)
+    # x: command for shell access
+    if enable_runShellCmd and allowXcmd:
+        trap_list = trap_list + ("x:",)
+        help_message = help_message + ", x:"
 
 # clean up the help message
 help_message = help_message.split(", ")