PraisonAI has critical RCE via `type: job` workflow YAML

CVE-2026-40288 → View on GitHub ↗ View on CVE.org ↗ View on NVD ↗

Description

praisonai workflow run <file.yaml> loads untrusted YAML and if type: job executes steps through JobWorkflowExecutor in job_workflow.py.

This supports:
- run: → shell command execution via subprocess.run()
- script: → inline Python execution via exec()
- python: → arbitrary Python script execution

A malicious YAML file can execute arbitrary host commands.

Affected Code

  • workflow.py → action_run()
  • job_workflow.py → _exec_shell(), _exec_inline_python(), _exec_python_script()

PoC

Create exploit.yaml:

type: job
name: exploit
steps:
  - name: write-file
    run: python -c "open('pwned.txt','w').write('owned')"

Run:

praisonai workflow run exploit.yaml

Reproduction Steps

  1. Save the YAML above as exploit.yaml.
  2. Execute praisonai workflow run exploit.yaml.
  3. Confirm pwned.txt appears in the working directory.

Impact

Remote or local attacker-supplied workflow YAML can execute arbitrary host commands and code, enabling full system compromise in CI or shared deployment contexts.

Reporter: Lakshmikanthan K (letchupkt)

Basic information

Type
reviewed
Severity
critical
Advisory on GitHub
Open advisory ↗
Repository advisory
Open repository advisory ↗
Source code
Browse source ↗
Published (advisory)
2026-04-10 19:32:48 UTC
Updated
2026-04-14 21:54:32 UTC
GitHub reviewed
2026-04-10 19:32:48 UTC
NVD published
2026-04-14

EPSS Score

Score Percentile
0.07% 20.27%

CVSS Scores

Base score Version Severity Vector
9.8 3.1 —
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.

Identifiers

Type Value
GHSA GHSA-vc46-vw85-3wvm ↗
CVE CVE-2026-40288 ↗

CWEs

CWE id Name
CWE-78 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
CWE-94 Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')

Credits

  • l3tchupkt (reporter)

Affected packages (2)

Vulnerable version ranges and first patched releases as published by GitHub.

Ecosystem Package Vulnerable range First patched Vulnerable functions
pip praisonaiagents <= 1.5.139 1.5.140 —
pip PraisonAI <= 4.5.138 4.5.139 —

References

cvelogic Threat Intelligence