Authorization bypass via unrestricted MCP tool resynchronization
Published Aug 6, 2026 · Updated Aug 6, 2026
Incorrect authorization in CowAgent 2.1.0 through 2.1.1 allows remote authenticated users to regain restricted MCP tools. AgentStreamExecutor unconditionally calls ToolManager.sync_mcp_into_agent during background review, appending loaded MCP tools without reapplying _select_tools. Exploitation requires enabled Self-Evolution, a configured MCP tool, and tool-capable model execution; resulting actions are limited by that tool and the CowAgent process privileges.
Summary
What happened
Incorrect authorization in CowAgent 2.1.0 through 2.1.1 allows remote authenticated users to regain restricted MCP tools. AgentStreamExecutor unconditionally calls ToolManager.sync_mcp_into_agent during background review, appending loaded MCP tools without reapplying _select_tools. Exploitation requires enabled Self-Evolution, a configured MCP tool, and tool-capable model execution; resulting actions are limited by that tool and the CowAgent process privileges.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-18992
- Published
- Aug 6, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 6, 2026
- Vendor
- zhayujie
- Product
- CowAgent
- Classifications
- CWE-285, CWE-863, T1190
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 6, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 6, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=2.1.0
- Affected versionversion=2.1.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Self-Evolution restricted toolset MCP bypass verification testfunctional · demonstrated
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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