CVE-2026-30308: HAI Build Code Generator RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2026-30308 Overview

CVE-2026-30308 is a critical prompt injection vulnerability affecting the HAI Build Code Generator, an LLM-powered development tool. The vulnerability exists in the automatic terminal command execution feature, which offers users two modes: "Execute safe commands" and "Execute all commands." While the "Execute safe commands" option purports to automatically execute only commands the AI model deems safe while requiring user approval for potentially destructive operations, attackers can bypass this safety mechanism through prompt injection attacks.

An attacker can craft malicious prompts using generic templates that mislead the underlying language model into misclassifying dangerous commands as "safe," thereby circumventing user approval requirements and achieving arbitrary command execution on the target system.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability enables remote attackers to achieve arbitrary command execution by manipulating the AI model's safety classification through prompt injection, completely bypassing intended user approval mechanisms.

Affected Products

• HAI Build Code Generator (all versions with automatic terminal command execution feature)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-30 - CVE CVE-2026-30308 published to NVD
• 2026-04-01 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-30308

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability falls under CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code), specifically manifesting as a prompt injection attack against an AI-assisted development tool. The fundamental flaw lies in trusting an LLM to make security-critical decisions about command safety without adequate safeguards against adversarial input.

The HAI Build Code Generator's architecture relies on the language model's judgment to differentiate between safe and potentially destructive terminal commands. However, LLMs are inherently vulnerable to prompt injection attacks where carefully crafted input can manipulate the model's behavior and decision-making processes. In this case, attackers can construct prompts that cause the model to misclassify arbitrary commands—including highly dangerous system operations—as "safe" for automatic execution.

The attack requires no authentication and can be delivered over the network, making it particularly dangerous in collaborative development environments or when processing untrusted code repositories.

Root Cause

The root cause is the reliance on an LLM for security-critical command classification without implementing robust input sanitization, command allowlisting, or secondary verification mechanisms. The design assumes the language model can reliably distinguish between safe and dangerous commands, but fails to account for the model's susceptibility to adversarial prompt manipulation.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no user interaction beyond having the "Execute safe commands" feature enabled. An attacker can embed malicious prompt injection payloads in:

• Code comments or documentation within repositories being analyzed
• Configuration files processed by the tool
• Any text input that reaches the LLM's context during command evaluation

The prompt injection payload wraps malicious commands in templates designed to fool the model into classifying them as safe operations, such as framing destructive commands as routine maintenance tasks, testing operations, or using deceptive context that triggers the model's safety classification heuristics.

Since no verified code examples are available for this vulnerability, detailed technical exploitation information can be found in the GitHub Issue Tracker documenting this vulnerability class.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-30308

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected terminal command execution without explicit user approval when "Execute safe commands" mode is active
• Presence of unusual prompt patterns in processed code files or documentation that include phrases designed to manipulate command classification
• Log entries showing automated execution of system-level commands (file deletion, permission changes, network operations) that should have triggered approval prompts

Detection Strategies

• Monitor HAI Build logs for commands executed without user interaction that fall outside expected development operations
• Implement content analysis for prompt injection patterns in code repositories and input files before processing
• Deploy endpoint detection rules that flag automated execution of sensitive system commands from development tools

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for all terminal command executions in HAI Build, capturing both the command and the classification decision
• Establish baseline behavior patterns for normal HAI Build usage and alert on deviations
• Monitor for rapid sequences of automated command executions that may indicate exploitation

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-30308

Immediate Actions Required

• Disable the "Execute safe commands" automatic execution feature and switch to manual approval for all terminal commands
• Review recent command execution logs for any suspicious activity that may indicate prior exploitation
• Audit any codebases or repositories recently processed by HAI Build for potential prompt injection payloads

Patch Information

Consult the HAI Build GitHub repository for the latest security updates and patches addressing this vulnerability. Users should upgrade to the latest version once a fix is available and verify the update addresses the prompt injection attack vector.

Workarounds

• Configure HAI Build to require explicit user approval for all terminal commands by disabling automatic execution features
• Implement an external command allowlist that restricts which commands can be executed regardless of the LLM's classification
• Run HAI Build in sandboxed or containerized environments with restricted system access to limit potential damage from command execution
• Review all input sources (code files, repositories, documentation) for suspicious content before processing with AI tools

# Recommended: Disable automatic command execution until patched
# Check HAI Build configuration and ensure safe command auto-execution is disabled
# Verify by reviewing the tool's settings for terminal execution options

# Consider running HAI Build in a restricted container environment
# Example Docker command with limited privileges:
docker run --rm -it \
  --security-opt no-new-privileges \
  --cap-drop ALL \
  --read-only \
  hai-build:latest