CVE-2023-38896Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Remote code execution via unsanitized PALChain prompts

Published Aug 15, 2023 · Updated Oct 9, 2024

Code injection in Harrison Chase LangChain before 0.0.236 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary Python through PALChain prompts. The from_math_prompt and from_colored_object_prompt paths feed model-generated Python into PythonREPL without rejecting imports or arbitrary execution commands. Exploitation requires an application to expose a PALChain prompt to untrusted input; successful code runs with the hosting process's permissions.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.84%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in Harrison Chase LangChain before 0.0.236 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary Python through PALChain prompts. The from_math_prompt and from_colored_object_prompt paths feed model-generated Python into PythonREPL without rejecting imports or arbitrary execution commands. Exploitation requires an application to expose a PALChain prompt to untrusted input; successful code runs with the hosting process's permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38896
Published
Aug 15, 2023
Updated
Oct 9, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-74, CWE-94, T1059.006
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 15, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 9, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.3GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-74Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component ('Injection')
CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
T1059.006Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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