Vulnerability in serena-agent (CVE-2026-49471)
Summary
Vulnerability in serena-agent (CVE-2026-49471). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. Exploitable via Host header. Mitigation: upgrade to 1.5.2 or later.
Original description
The description as published by the source.
Summary
Serena's built-in web dashboard exposes an unauthenticated Flask API on a fixed, predictable port (TCP 24282, hardcoded as 0x5EDA in constants.py). The server has no authentication, no CSRF protection, and no Host header validation. A DNS rebinding attack allows a malicious webpage to reach this API from any browser and write arbitrary content to the agent's persistent memory store — which the agent reads and acts on autonomously. Combined with execute_shell_command (enabled by default in all contexts via shell=True), this creates a full remote code execution chain requiring only that the victim visit a malicious webpage while Serena is running.
Details
Root cause 1 — Unauthenticated dashboard (src/serena/dashboard.py)
The Flask server starts automatically (web_dashboard: true by default) on a fixed, predictable port with no auth middleware:
# src/serena/constants.py
DASHBOARD_API_BASE_PORT = 0x5EDA # = 24282, always the same
# src/serena/dashboard.py — no auth, no CSRF, no Host header validation on any route
@self._app.route("/save_memory", methods=["POST"])
def save_memory():
request_data = request.get_json()
self._save_memory(...) # writes to disk, no credentials checked
@self._app.route("/shutdown", methods=["PUT"])
def shutdown():
self._agent.shutdown() # kills the agent, no credentials checked
Flask does not validate the Host header by default (no SERVER_NAME set), which is the prereq…
Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database NVD GitHub Advisory
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-2026-49471 has been found in serena-agent.
Attackers can target a specific entry point like Host header over the network to misuse the product.
Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover. CVSS score: 8.3/10.
What to do: upgrade serena-agent to 1.5.2 or later.
If unsure, ask your IT team or search "serena-agent CVE-2026-49471" on the vendor's site.
CVE-2026-49471 (serena-agent) — CWE-306 / CVSS v3 8.3
Attack vector: remote (network-reachable) / unauthenticated
Attack surface: Host header / constants.py / execute_shell_command / Host
Patched: 1.5.2 — 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.
A vulnerability (CWE-306) exists in serena-agent. Attackers reach the vulnerable code path via Host header without authentication.
Check the vendor advisory for the affected versions of serena-agent. Attack surface: Host header / constants.py / execute_shell_command / Host.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.3/10). Successful exploitation can lead to full system takeover.
Update to 1.5.2.
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 'serena-agent' . 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 'serena-agent' . | 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
serena-agent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 serena-agent to 1.5.2ステージング環境で 1.5.2 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
- web github.com
- web github.com