CVE-2025-53832 Overview
CVE-2025-53832 is a command injection vulnerability in the @translated/lara-mcp Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server for the Lara Translate API. Versions 0.0.11 and below pass unsanitized input parameters directly into a child_process.exec call. Attackers can inject shell metacharacters such as |, >, and && to execute arbitrary system commands. Successful exploitation results in remote code execution under the privileges of the server process. The vulnerability is tracked under [CWE-77] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command). The maintainers fixed the issue in version 0.0.12.
Critical Impact
Attackers can achieve remote code execution on hosts running vulnerable Lara Translate MCP Server instances, exposing AI assistant integrations to host compromise.
Affected Products
- @translated/lara-mcp MCP Server versions 0.0.11 and below
- Lara Translate MCP Server integrations relying on vulnerable versions
- AI assistant deployments that invoke the affected MCP server via stdio or network transports
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-21 - CVE-2025-53832 published to NVD
- 2026-04-15 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-53832
Vulnerability Analysis
The Lara Translate MCP Server exposes translation tooling to MCP clients such as AI assistants. The server constructs shell commands using parameters supplied by the MCP client and executes them through Node.js child_process.exec. Because exec invokes a shell to interpret the command string, any unescaped metacharacters in the input are processed by the shell. An attacker controlling the input parameters can append arbitrary commands using operators like ;, &&, |, or backticks. The resulting commands run with the same privileges as the MCP server process. In typical deployments this is the user account running the AI assistant or automation pipeline.
Root Cause
The root cause is the unsanitized concatenation of user-controlled input into a command-line string passed to child_process.exec. The function does not validate or escape shell metacharacters before invocation. The fix in commit e534ef690adf390e4ac862a200b2a83f6cf45944 addresses this by removing the unsafe pattern. See the GitHub Security Advisory for the maintainer's analysis.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires an attacker to influence the parameters sent to the MCP server. In MCP deployments, this can occur through prompt injection of an AI assistant, a malicious MCP client, or any upstream component that forwards untrusted text to translation tool calls. The attack vector is network-reachable but requires user interaction, as reflected in the CVSS vector component UI:R. Once a crafted parameter reaches the vulnerable exec call, the injected commands execute immediately.
No verified public exploit code is available. See the GitHub commit log for the patched code path.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-53832
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected child processes spawned by Node.js processes running @translated/lara-mcp
- Shell processes (sh, bash, cmd.exe) launched as descendants of the MCP server with arguments containing translation parameters
- Outbound network connections from the MCP server host to unfamiliar destinations following tool invocations
- Anomalous file writes or credential access activity originating from the MCP server process tree
Detection Strategies
- Inventory all MCP server installations and flag any @translated/lara-mcp instance at or below version 0.0.11
- Hunt for process lineage where Node.js spawns a shell that subsequently spawns reconnaissance binaries such as whoami, id, or curl
- Inspect MCP server logs for translation requests containing shell metacharacters (;, |, &&, `, $())
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable command-line auditing on hosts running MCP servers and forward events to a centralized log platform
- Alert on any execution of shell interpreters as a child of the MCP server process
- Monitor MCP transport channels for prompt-injection patterns targeting tool parameters
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-53832
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade @translated/lara-mcp to version 0.0.12 or later across all environments
- Audit MCP client configurations and remove the vulnerable server from production AI workflows until patched
- Rotate any credentials, API keys, or tokens accessible from hosts where the vulnerable server ran
- Review process execution logs for evidence of prior exploitation
Patch Information
The fix is delivered in @translated/lara-mcp version 0.0.12. The patch is published in commit e534ef690adf390e4ac862a200b2a83f6cf45944. Reference the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-xj5p-8h7g-76m7 for full remediation guidance.
Workarounds
- Disable or remove the Lara Translate MCP Server until upgrade is complete
- Run the MCP server as a low-privilege user with no access to sensitive credentials or network paths
- Apply an allowlist filter on tool parameters to strip shell metacharacters before they reach the server
- Sandbox the MCP server using container isolation or seccomp profiles that restrict process spawning
# Upgrade to the patched version
npm install @translated/[email protected]
# Verify installed version
npm list @translated/lara-mcp
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
