CVE-2026-24887: Claude Code RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2026-24887 Overview

CVE-2026-24887 is a command injection vulnerability affecting Claude Code, an agentic coding tool developed by Anthropic. Due to an error in command parsing, attackers could bypass the Claude Code confirmation prompt to trigger execution of untrusted commands through the find command. This vulnerability requires the ability to add untrusted content into a Claude Code context window for reliable exploitation.

Critical Impact

Successful exploitation allows attackers to execute arbitrary system commands by bypassing security confirmation prompts, potentially leading to complete system compromise.

Affected Products

• Claude Code versions prior to 2.0.72

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-03 - CVE CVE-2026-24887 published to NVD
• 2026-02-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-24887

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-78 (OS Command Injection), indicating improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command. The flaw exists in how Claude Code parses and validates commands before execution, specifically when handling the find command. The parsing error allows specially crafted input to bypass the confirmation prompt that normally protects users from executing untrusted or potentially dangerous commands.

The attack requires network access and some user interaction, as the attacker must find a way to inject untrusted content into the Claude Code context window. Once malicious content is present in the context, the parsing vulnerability can be leveraged to execute arbitrary commands without user confirmation.

Root Cause

The root cause is an error in the command parsing logic within Claude Code. When processing find commands, the parser fails to properly validate or sanitize the command structure, allowing attackers to construct inputs that bypass the security confirmation mechanism. This represents a fundamental flaw in the input validation and command execution pipeline of the application.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring the attacker to inject malicious content into the Claude Code context window. This could potentially be achieved through:

1. Malicious code repositories or files that Claude Code processes
2. Compromised content in files being analyzed
3. Social engineering to get a user to include malicious content in their context

Once untrusted content is present in the context window, the attacker can craft input that exploits the find command parsing error to execute arbitrary system commands without triggering the confirmation prompt.

The vulnerability mechanism involves crafting specific input patterns that exploit the parsing error in the find command handler. When Claude Code encounters these specially crafted inputs, the confirmation prompt bypass allows direct command execution. For detailed technical information, refer to the GitHub Security Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24887

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected command executions originating from Claude Code processes without corresponding user confirmations
• Anomalous find command invocations with unusual arguments or chained commands
• Process spawning patterns indicating command injection (e.g., shell subprocesses with unexpected commands)

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for Claude Code versions prior to 2.0.72 running in your environment
• Implement logging for all command executions initiated by Claude Code, particularly find commands
• Use endpoint detection to identify unusual process trees spawned from Claude Code
• Review context window contents for suspicious patterns or potentially malicious file references

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for Claude Code command execution pipelines
• Set up alerts for any command execution that bypasses the standard confirmation workflow
• Monitor for anomalous file system access patterns associated with find command abuse

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24887

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade Claude Code to version 2.0.72 or later immediately
• Audit recent command execution logs for any suspicious activity that may indicate exploitation
• Review context window sources for potentially malicious content in ongoing sessions
• Restrict Claude Code usage to trusted contexts until patching is complete

Patch Information

Anthropic has released version 2.0.72 of Claude Code which addresses this command injection vulnerability. The patch corrects the command parsing error that allowed the confirmation prompt bypass. Users should update to this version or later to remediate the vulnerability.

For additional details, see the GitHub Security Advisory.

Workarounds

• If immediate patching is not possible, avoid processing untrusted files or repositories with Claude Code
• Manually verify all command executions, especially those involving the find command
• Consider implementing additional process monitoring or sandboxing around Claude Code execution
• Limit Claude Code's system privileges to reduce the impact of potential command injection

# Verify Claude Code version
claude --version

# Update Claude Code to patched version
npm update @anthropic-ai/claude-code
# Or use your package manager's equivalent update command