PraisonAIAgents: Environment Variable Secret Exfiltration via os.path.expandvars() Bypassing shell=False in Shell Tool

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

7.4 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2026-40153: 0.27% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 19.71 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Summary The executecommand function in shelltools.py calls os.path.expandvars() on every command argument at line 64, manually re-implementing shell-level environment variable expansion despite using shell=False (line 88) for security. This allows exfiltration of secrets stored in environment variables (database credentials, API keys, cloud access keys). The approval system displays the unexpanded $VAR references to human reviewers, creating a deceptive approval where the displayed command differs from what actually executes. Details The vulnerable code is in src/praisonai-agents/praisonaiagents/tools/shelltools.py: The security problem is a disconnect between the approval display and actual execution: 1. The LLM generates a tool call: executecommand(command="cat $DATABASEURL") 2. checktoolapprovalsync in toolexecution.py:558 passes {"command": "cat $DATABASEURL"} to the approval backend 3. ConsoleBackend (backends.py:81-85) displays command: cat $DATABASEURL — the literal…

Published by the source

10 Apr 2026, 19:24 UTC

Last modified by the source

13 Jul 2026, 16:43 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:40 UTC

1. Revision 2 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-v8g7-9q6v-p3x8

2. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-v8g7-9q6v-p3x8

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2026-40153

Advisory: PraisonAIAgents: Environment Variable Secret Exfiltration via os.path.expandvars() Bypassing shell=False in Shell Tool
IDs: CVE-2026-40153, GHSA-v8g7-9q6v-p3x8
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2026-40153 (revision 2, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:40 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.4)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: praisonaiagents 1.5.128. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- PyPI praisonaiagents: affected < 1.5.128; fixed in 1.5.128

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- `python -m pip show praisonaiagents`: prints the installed version. Run with the environment that serves production active.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on praisonaiagents.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-v8g7-9q6v-p3x8 (OSV record GHSA-v8g7-9q6v-p3x8 lists affected ranges: PyPI praisonaiagents >=0 <1.5.128 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-v8g7-9q6v-p3x8 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-v8g7-9q6v-p3x8 lists affected ranges: PyPI praisonaiagents >=0 <1.5.128)

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