CVE-2026-7397Public exploit

System-file writes via macOS symlink resolution

Published Apr 29, 2026 · Updated Apr 29, 2026

Symlink following in Nous Research Hermes Agent 0.8.0 allows local users to bypass write protections for accessible macOS system files. The _check_sensitive_path function resolves /etc paths to /private/etc but compares only the resolved value with /etc-prefixed blocklist entries, so write_file and patch accept the targets. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and remains limited by the operating system permissions of the Hermes Agent process.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Symlink following in Nous Research Hermes Agent 0.8.0 allows local users to bypass write protections for accessible macOS system files. The _check_sensitive_path function resolves /etc paths to /private/etc but compares only the resolved value with /etc-prefixed blocklist entries, so write_file and patch accept the targets. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access and remains limited by the operating system permissions of the Hermes Agent process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-7397
Published
Apr 29, 2026
Updated
Apr 29, 2026
Vendor
Nous Research
Product
Hermes Agent
Classifications
CWE-59, CWE-61, T1565.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 29, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 29, 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=0.8.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Nous Research · Hermes Agentversion=0.8.0

Published CVSS scores

4.4VulDBCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
1.9VulDBCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P
3.2VulDBAV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:P/A:P

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
CWE-61UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following
T1565.001Stored Data Manipulation

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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