Information Disclosure in praisonai (CVE-2026-40159)
Summary
Vulnerability in praisonai (CVE-2026-40159). Confidential information can be exposed externally. Exploitable via subprocess. Mitigation: upgrade to 4.5.128 or later.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
PraisonAI’s MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration allows spawning background servers via stdio using user-supplied command strings (e.g., MCP("npx -y @smithery/cli ...")). These commands are executed through Python’s subprocess module. By default, the implementation forwards the entire parent process environment to the spawned subprocess:
# src/praisonai-agents/praisonaiagents/mcp/mcp.py
env = kwargs.get('env', {})
if not env:
env = os.environ.copy()
As a result, any MCP command executed in this manner inherits all environment variables from the host process, including sensitive data such as API keys, authentication tokens, and database credentials.
This behavior introduces a security risk when untrusted or third-party commands are used. In common scenarios where MCP tools are invoked via package runners such as npx -y, arbitrary code from external or potentially compromised packages may execute with access to these inherited environment variables. This creates a risk of unintended credential exposure and enables potential supply chain attacks through silent exfiltration of secrets.
Reproducing the Attack
- Export a secret key:
export SUPER_SECRET_KEY=123456_pwned - Start an MCP tool locally that dumps its inherited environment:
from praisonaiagents.mcp import MCP
# The underlying MCP library spawns this command via subprocess and it dumps the variables
mcp = MCP('python -c "import os, json; print(json.dumps(dict(os.environ)…
Source: OSV.dev (Open Source Vulnerabilities) NVD GitHub Advisory OSV
Auto-generated summary
Assembled by SecPulse from the source data (CVSS, CWE, affected versions) using templates — no AI involved. Check the original description and references below for exact details.
A vulnerability tracked as CVE-2026-40159 has been found in praisonai.
Attackers can target a specific entry point like subprocess over the network to misuse the product.
Confidential information can be exposed externally.
What to do: upgrade praisonai to 4.5.128 or later.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "praisonai CVE-2026-40159" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2026-40159 (praisonai) — CWE-200
Attack vector: local / unauthenticated
Attack surface: subprocess / SUPER_SECRET_KEY / npx / pipx
Patched: 4.5.128 — apply immediately
Plan: 1) Audit SBOM/dependencies, 2) Stage→prod upgrade, 3) Add WAF/proxy monitoring on affected endpoints, 4) Hunt IOCs in logs.
Refs: see the GHSA / vendor advisory / patched release linked on this page.
Information disclosure (CWE-200) exists in praisonai. Attackers reach the vulnerable code path via subprocess without authentication.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of praisonai. Attack surface: subprocess / SUPER_SECRET_KEY / npx / pipx.
Severity: ?. Confidential information can be exposed externally.
Update to 4.5.128.
Until the patch is applied: disable the affected feature, apply WAF rules, or restrict access via network ACLs.
Search webserver/proxy logs for unusual request patterns matching this CVE's known IOCs. Run grep -r 'praisonai' . against your dependency files (package-lock.json, requirements.txt, go.sum) to find affected services.
Response actions
Concrete steps and command examples for SOC/SRE teams to execute in order
-
1Identify exposure identify
grep -r 'praisonai' . | grep -v node_modulesリポジトリと本番環境の依存ファイル (package-lock.json / requirements.txt / go.sum / Gemfile.lock 等) で
praisonaiを grep し、稼働しているサービス・バージョンを把握する。 -
2Apply patch patch
Upgrade praisonai to 4.5.128ステージング環境で 4.5.128 に上げて回帰テスト → 本番反映。回帰テストはアプリの主要ハッピーパスを含めること。
-
3Post-deployment verification verify
Confirm patched version is live in productionパッチ適用後、ステージングで PoC または同等の悪用パターンを再現して脆弱性が閉じたことを確認。本番ではアクセスログ・WAF でアラート再発が無いか継続監視。
Affected packages
References
- advisory nvd.nist.gov
- package github.com
- web github.com
- web github.com