Cursor has a Terminal Tool Allowlist Bypass via Environment Variables
Cursor is a code editor built for programming with AI. Prior to 2.3, hen the Cursor Agent is running in Auto-Run Mode with Allowlist mode enabled, certain shell built-ins can still be executed without appearing in the allowlist and without requiring user approval. This allows an attacker via indirect or direct prompt injection to poison the shell environment by setting, modifying, or removing environment variables that influence trusted commands. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.3.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities in the database; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for help- Published
- Jan 14, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.8% · 55th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-15
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Report tools
Action score
28
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 28 / 40 · 7.2 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.8%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 7.2
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| anysphere | cursor | cpe:2.3:a:anysphere:cursor |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- anysphere cursorbefore 2.3
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
cursor cursor
- < 2.3affected
Same product
anysphere: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2025-54136Cursor's Modification of MCP Server Definitions Bypasses Manual Re-approvals43Plan
- CVE-2025-54135Cursor Agent is vulnerable to prompt injection via MCP Special Files40Plan
- CVE-2026-26268Cursor sandbox escape via Git hooks39Monitor
- CVE-2025-59944Cursor IDE: Sensitive File Overwrite Bypass is Possible39Monitor
- CVE-2025-54130Cursor Agent is vulnerable prompt injection via Editor Special Files39Monitor
- CVE-2026-50549Cursor Desktop sandbox escape via symlink and failed path canonicalization37Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| cursor cursor | 2.3 · description | Vendor (CNA) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- Integrity
- Availability
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- High
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- X
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-15 · External Control of System or Configuration SettingCVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-13likelihood: High · Very High
- XML Schema PoisoningCAPEC-146likelihood: Low · High
- Configuration/Environment ManipulationCAPEC-176Medium
- Manipulate Registry InformationCAPEC-203Medium
- Modification of Registry Run KeysCAPEC-270likelihood: Medium · Medium
- Schema PoisoningCAPEC-271likelihood: Low · High
- Replace Winlogon Helper DLLCAPEC-579
- Target Programs with Elevated PrivilegesCAPEC-69likelihood: High · Very High
ATT&CK techniques
- Modify RegistryT1112
- Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Start FolderT1547.001
- Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Winlogon helper DLLT1547.004
- Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: ActiveT1547.014
- Impair Defenses:Impair Command History LoggingT1562.003
- Hijack Execution Flow:Dynamic Linker HijackingT1574.006
- Hijack Execution Flow:Path Interception by PATH Environment VariableT1574.007
- Plist ModificationT1647
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.