CVE-2026-19332 Overview
CVE-2026-19332 is a command injection vulnerability in NellyW8 MCP4EDA version 1.0.0. The flaw resides in the run_openlane and view_waveform components. Attackers manipulate the design_name and vcd_file arguments to inject arbitrary operating system commands. Exploitation requires local access and low privileges, limiting the practical attack surface. The project maintainer was notified through a public issue report but has not responded at the time of disclosure. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-74 for improper neutralization of special elements in downstream components.
Critical Impact
Local authenticated users can execute arbitrary commands on the host by supplying crafted design_name or vcd_file arguments to MCP4EDA components.
Affected Products
- NellyW8 MCP4EDA 1.0.0
- run_openlane component
- view_waveform component
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-08-09 - CVE-2026-19332 published to NVD
- 2026-08-12 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-19332
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability affects MCP4EDA, a project that integrates Model Context Protocol tooling with electronic design automation (EDA) workflows. Two functions expose the flaw: run_openlane accepts a design_name argument, and view_waveform accepts a vcd_file argument. Both arguments are passed to downstream shell or process invocations without adequate sanitization. Attackers embed shell metacharacters within these parameters to break out of the intended command context. Successful exploitation runs arbitrary commands with the privileges of the MCP4EDA process. The flaw maps to CWE-74, covering injection of special elements into a downstream component.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing input validation and unsafe concatenation of user-controlled strings into system command invocations. Neither design_name nor vcd_file is filtered for shell metacharacters such as backticks, semicolons, pipes, or command substitution sequences before the values reach the underlying interpreter.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires local access and at least low-privileged authentication on the host running MCP4EDA. An attacker with the ability to invoke run_openlane or view_waveform supplies a crafted argument. The injected payload is interpreted by the shell, yielding command execution in the context of the MCP4EDA process. Public proof-of-concept material is referenced in the GitHub Issue Tracker and the GitHub PoC Repository.
No verified exploit code is reproduced here. Refer to the VulDB Vulnerability Detail for further technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-19332
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected child processes spawned by the MCP4EDA runtime, particularly /bin/sh, bash, or interpreter shells invoked with -c.
- Command-line arguments to run_openlane or view_waveform containing shell metacharacters such as ;, |, &&, $(...), or backticks.
- Outbound network connections initiated by processes descending from MCP4EDA that are not part of normal EDA workflows.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor process creation telemetry for MCP4EDA descendants and alert on shells or scripting interpreters spawned with attacker-controlled arguments.
- Baseline the legitimate argument patterns for design_name and vcd_file and flag deviations that include shell control characters.
- Correlate file system and network activity with MCP4EDA process trees to surface post-exploitation behavior.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable command-line auditing (Linux auditdexecve events) on hosts running MCP4EDA.
- Forward process telemetry to a centralized data lake for retention and retrospective hunting against the injection patterns above.
- Review the GitHub Issue Tracker for updates on maintainer response and patch availability.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-19332
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict local access to systems running MCP4EDA 1.0.0 to trusted operators only.
- Remove or disable the run_openlane and view_waveform entry points until sanitization is implemented.
- Run MCP4EDA under a dedicated low-privilege service account with no sudo rights.
Patch Information
No vendor patch is available. The maintainer was notified through the GitHub Issue Tracker but has not responded. Monitor the GitHub PoC Repository and the VulDB CVE Listing for fix status.
Workarounds
- Wrap design_name and vcd_file handling with a strict allowlist that permits only alphanumeric characters, underscores, dots, and forward slashes.
- Replace shell-based command invocation with argument-array process execution to eliminate shell interpretation of metacharacters.
- Isolate MCP4EDA in a container or restricted sandbox to limit the blast radius of a successful injection.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
