CVE-2026-40088Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Arbitrary command execution via shell metacharacter interpretation

Published Apr 9, 2026 · Updated Apr 9, 2026

OS command injection in PraisonAI before 4.5.121 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands through crafted workflow input. The execute_command function, workflow shell steps, and action orchestrator pass user-controlled strings to subprocess.run with shell=True, causing the host shell to interpret metacharacters. Exploitation requires a crafted workflow, agent configuration, recipe, or LLM-generated tool call to be processed, after which commands run with the PraisonAI process's privileges.

CVSS severity9.6
Critical
EPSS probability0.42%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

OS command injection in PraisonAI before 4.5.121 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands through crafted workflow input. The execute_command function, workflow shell steps, and action orchestrator pass user-controlled strings to subprocess.run with shell=True, causing the host shell to interpret metacharacters. Exploitation requires a crafted workflow, agent configuration, recipe, or LLM-generated tool call to be processed, after which commands run with the PraisonAI process's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-40088
Published
Apr 9, 2026
Updated
Apr 9, 2026
Vendor
PraisonAI
Product
PraisonAI
Classifications
CWE-78, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 9, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 9, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 4.5.121

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

PraisonAI · PraisonAIversion=< 4.5.121

Published CVSS scores

9.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.6GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-78Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

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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