CVE-2026-25130: Cybersecurity AI Framework RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2026-25130 Overview

CVE-2026-25130 is a critical command injection vulnerability affecting the Cybersecurity AI (CAI) framework, a popular open-source tool for AI-powered security operations. The vulnerability exists in the framework's function tools where user-controlled input is passed directly to shell commands via subprocess.Popen() with shell=True, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the host system.

The most severe aspect of this vulnerability is the exploitation of the find_file() tool, which executes without requiring user approval because find is classified as a "safe" pre-approved command. This design flaw allows attackers to achieve Remote Code Execution (RCE) by injecting malicious arguments (such as -exec) into the args parameter, completely bypassing any human-in-the-loop safety mechanisms that the framework was designed to enforce.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can achieve full Remote Code Execution by exploiting argument injection in pre-approved "safe" commands, bypassing human approval mechanisms entirely.

Affected Products

• Cybersecurity AI (CAI) Framework versions up to and including 0.5.10
• Systems running CAI with default tool configurations
• Environments using the find_file() reconnaissance tool

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-30 - CVE-2026-25130 published to NVD
• 2026-02-04 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-25130

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), commonly known as OS Command Injection. The flaw stems from the CAI framework's trust model for shell commands, which pre-approves certain commands like find as "safe" without adequately validating or sanitizing user-supplied arguments.

The vulnerable code path in src/cai/tools/reconnaissance/filesystem.py constructs shell commands by concatenating user-controlled input with the base command. When shell=True is passed to subprocess.Popen(), the entire command string is interpreted by the system shell, allowing shell metacharacters and dangerous flags to be processed.

The attack is particularly dangerous because it exploits a fundamental assumption in the CAI framework's safety model—that certain commands are inherently safe when only certain arguments are dangerous. The find command, while typically used for file searches, supports the -exec flag which can execute arbitrary commands on matched files.

Root Cause

The root cause is twofold: first, the use of shell=True in subprocess calls creates an injection vector for shell metacharacters; second, the framework's allowlist for "safe" commands fails to account for dangerous command-line flags like -exec, -execdir, -delete, and various -fprint variants that enable command execution or file manipulation.

Attack Vector

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely over a network. The attack requires user interaction as the attacker must craft a request that causes the CAI framework to process malicious input through the vulnerable find_file() function. However, no authentication or special privileges are required. The changed scope indicates that exploitation can impact resources beyond the vulnerable component itself, potentially affecting the entire host system.

For example, an attacker could supply arguments like -exec /bin/sh -c 'malicious_command' \; which the find command would interpret as instructions to execute arbitrary shell commands on any files matched by the search criteria.

from cai.tools.common import run_command  # pylint: disable=E0401
from cai.sdk.agents import function_tool

+# Dangerous flags that enable RCE, file writes, or file deletion
+DANGEROUS_FIND_FLAGS = {
+    "-exec", "-execdir", "-ok", "-okdir",
+    "-delete",
+    "-fprintf", "-fprint", "-fls", "-fprint0",
+    "-print0",
+}

@function_tool
def list_dir(path: str, args: str = "", ctf=None) -> str:
    """

Source: GitHub CAI Commit Change

The patch introduces a blocklist (DANGEROUS_FIND_FLAGS) that explicitly denies dangerous flags including -exec, -execdir, -ok, -okdir, -delete, and various file printing options that could be abused for malicious purposes.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-25130

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected process spawning from CAI framework processes, particularly shell interpreters (/bin/sh, /bin/bash)
• Command-line arguments containing suspicious patterns like -exec, -execdir, or shell metacharacters in CAI logs
• Anomalous file system activity originating from find commands executed by the CAI service
• Network connections or reverse shells initiated from CAI worker processes

Detection Strategies

• Monitor subprocess creation from Python processes running the CAI framework for command injection patterns
• Implement YARA rules to detect -exec flag usage in conjunction with CAI process execution
• Deploy endpoint detection rules that alert on shell commands containing dangerous find flags executed by non-interactive sessions
• Review CAI application logs for args parameters containing shell metacharacters or execution flags

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for all CAI tool invocations, particularly the find_file() function
• Configure process auditing (auditd on Linux) to capture command-line arguments for subprocess spawning
• Implement network segmentation to limit the blast radius if RCE is achieved
• Set up real-time alerting for any -exec or -delete flags appearing in CAI-related processes

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-25130

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade the CAI framework to a version containing commit e22a1220f764e2d7cf9da6d6144926f53ca01cde or later
• Audit all deployed CAI instances to identify the current version and exposure level
• Review network access controls to limit who can interact with CAI framework endpoints
• Temporarily disable or restrict access to the find_file() tool if immediate patching is not possible

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been addressed in commit e22a1220f764e2d7cf9da6d6144926f53ca01cde. This fix introduces a blocklist of dangerous find command flags that are explicitly denied before command execution. Organizations should update their CAI installations to include this fix by pulling the latest version from the official repository. For detailed information about the vulnerability and patch, refer to the GitHub Security Advisory GHSA-jfpc-wj3m-qw2m.

Workarounds

• Implement input validation at the application layer to reject any arguments containing dangerous flags before they reach the CAI framework
• Run CAI in a sandboxed environment (container, VM, or dedicated user) with minimal system privileges
• Use network-level controls to restrict access to CAI services to trusted networks only
• Disable the find_file() tool entirely in CAI configuration if the functionality is not required

# Configuration example
# Restrict CAI service to run with minimal privileges
# Create dedicated non-privileged user for CAI
useradd -r -s /bin/false cai-service

# Run CAI with restricted capabilities
# Limit filesystem access using AppArmor or SELinux profiles
# Example systemd service hardening
# [Service]
# User=cai-service
# NoNewPrivileges=true
# ProtectSystem=strict
# ProtectHome=true
# PrivateTmp=true