CVE-2025-61492: terminal-controller-mcp RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-61492 Overview

A command injection vulnerability has been identified in the execute_command function of terminal-controller-mcp version 0.1.7. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the target system via crafted input. The flaw stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in commands (CWE-77), enabling attackers to inject and execute malicious commands without any authentication or user interaction.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability enables unauthenticated remote code execution with the potential to fully compromise affected systems, including data exfiltration, system modification, and lateral movement across network environments.

Affected Products

• terminal-controller-mcp version 0.1.7
• Potentially related: super-shell-mcp (per GitHub issue discussions)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-07 - CVE CVE-2025-61492 published to NVD
• 2026-01-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-61492

Vulnerability Analysis

This command injection vulnerability exists in the execute_command function within terminal-controller-mcp, a Model Context Protocol (MCP) component designed for terminal operations. The vulnerability allows attackers to inject malicious commands through user-controlled input that is passed directly to system shell execution without proper sanitization.

Command injection vulnerabilities of this type are particularly dangerous in MCP environments, as they can compromise the integrity of AI-assisted workflows and potentially lead to supply chain attacks. The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability, combined with no requirements for authentication or user interaction, creates a significant attack surface where remote threat actors can achieve complete system compromise.

The changed scope characteristic of this vulnerability indicates that a successful exploit can impact resources beyond the vulnerable component itself, potentially affecting the broader system or connected network resources.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements used in a command (CWE-77). The execute_command function fails to adequately validate, filter, or sanitize user-supplied input before passing it to shell execution routines. This allows metacharacters and command separators (such as ;, |, &&, or backticks) to be interpreted as command delimiters, enabling arbitrary command execution.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring no privileges or user interaction. An attacker can craft malicious input containing shell metacharacters and submit it to the vulnerable execute_command function. The injected commands execute with the same privileges as the terminal-controller-mcp process.

Typical exploitation involves appending or prepending shell commands to legitimate input using command chaining operators. For instance, an attacker could inject commands to download and execute malware, establish reverse shells, or exfiltrate sensitive data from the compromised system.

Technical details regarding the specific exploitation mechanism can be found in the GitHub issue discussion and related security discussions.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-61492

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected child processes spawned by the terminal-controller-mcp service
• Anomalous network connections originating from the MCP server process
• Log entries showing unusual command patterns with shell metacharacters
• Evidence of command chaining operators (;, |, &&, ||) in application inputs

Detection Strategies

• Implement application-layer logging to capture all inputs processed by the execute_command function
• Deploy network intrusion detection signatures to identify command injection patterns in traffic destined for MCP services
• Monitor process execution trees for unexpected commands spawned as children of terminal-controller-mcp processes
• Utilize endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to identify post-exploitation behaviors such as reverse shell establishment

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on systems running terminal-controller-mcp
• Configure SIEM rules to alert on command injection indicators such as shell metacharacters in application logs
• Monitor for outbound network connections from terminal-controller-mcp processes to external IP addresses
• Implement file integrity monitoring on critical system directories to detect unauthorized modifications

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-61492

Immediate Actions Required

• Discontinue use of terminal-controller-mcp version 0.1.7 until a patched version is available
• Implement network segmentation to restrict access to systems running the vulnerable component
• Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to filter command injection payloads
• Review system logs for evidence of exploitation attempts

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no official patch has been released by the maintainers. Organizations should monitor the terminal-controller-mcp GitHub repository for security updates and patch availability. Review the GitHub issue #7 for ongoing remediation discussions.

Workarounds

• Remove or disable the terminal-controller-mcp component from production environments until remediation is available
• Implement strict input validation and sanitization at the application boundary before any data reaches the execute_command function
• Use allowlist-based input validation to restrict commands to a predefined set of safe operations
• Deploy application-level firewalls or reverse proxies that can filter malicious input patterns before they reach the vulnerable function

# Example: Restrict network access to terminal-controller-mcp service
# Add firewall rules to limit access to trusted sources only
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <mcp_port> -s <trusted_ip_range> -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <mcp_port> -j DROP