Unauthenticated host code execution via unguarded execute_code
Published May 24, 2026 · Updated May 24, 2026
Sandbox bypass in Hermes Agent 2026.4.0 through 2026.4.16 allows remote attackers to execute host code through execute_code. The tool writes LLM-generated Python to script.py and launches it with subprocess.Popen without applying the terminal approval guard. An enabled execute_code tool and attacker-controlled content that induces its use are required; execution runs with the agent process's host privileges.
Summary
What happened
Sandbox bypass in Hermes Agent 2026.4.0 through 2026.4.16 allows remote attackers to execute host code through execute_code. The tool writes LLM-generated Python to script.py and launches it with subprocess.Popen without applying the terminal approval guard. An enabled execute_code tool and attacker-controlled content that induces its use are required; execution runs with the agent process's host privileges.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-9368
- Published
- May 24, 2026
- Updated
- May 24, 2026
- Vendor
- Nous Research
- Product
- Hermes Agent
- Classifications
- CWE-265, CWE-264, T1059.006
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 24, 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=2026.4.0
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.1
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.10
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.11
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.12
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.13
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.14
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.15
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.16
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.2
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.3
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.4
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.5
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.6
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.7
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.8
- Affected versionversion=2026.4.9
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- execute_code sandbox-bypass proof of conceptproof of concept · unverified
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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