CVE-2026-45311: CodeWhale: run_tests Tool Enables RCE via Malicious Repository Without Approval
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 38/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.56% (FIRST EPSS).
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. A user must open a link or visit a page. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: Hmbown CodeWhale 0.8.23.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to Hmbown CodeWhale 0.8.23 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
CodeWhale is a DeepSeek + MiMo coding agent in terminal. From 0.3.0 to 0.8.23, the run_tests tool executes cargo test in the workspace with ApprovalRequirement::Auto, meaning it runs without any user approval prompt. cargo test compiles and executes arbitrary code: test binaries, build.rs build scripts, and proc macros. While auto-approving test execution is a deliberate design choice, it creates an inconsistency in the security boundary. However, in a malicious repository, test code can execute arbitrary shell commands, exfiltrate credentials, or establish persistence with zero approval. The attack is amplified by AGENTS.md (auto-loaded into the system prompt), which can instruct the model to run tests proactively at session start. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.8.23.
- Published
- May 28, 2026
- Updated
- Oct 26, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.5% · 47th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-94
Report tools
Action score
38
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 38 / 40 · 9.6 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.5%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- proof of concept
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 9.6
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
—
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.
Hmbown CodeWhale
- >= 0.3.0, < 0.8.23affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| crates.io | deepseek-tui | from 0.3.0 · before 0.8.23 | 0.8.23 |
| crates.io | deepseek-tui-cli | from 0.3.0 · before 0.8.23 | 0.8.23 |
| npm | deepseek-tui | from 0.3.0 · before 0.8.23 | 0.8.23 |
Same product
hmbown: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2026-45374CodeWhale: task_create Insecure Defaults Enable RCE via Prompt Injection in Project Files38Monitor
- CVE-2026-75856CodeWhale before 0.8.64 SSRF Bypass via DNS Pinning TOCTOU36Monitor
- CVE-2026-75915CodeWhale before 0.8.64 Environment Variable Leak via js_execution34Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-45310May 28, 2026 · CodeWhale: SSRF via HTTP Redirect Bypass in fetch_url Tool29Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-45373May 28, 2026 · CodeWhale: SSRF IPV6 bypass29Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-75857Aug 18, 2026 · CodeWhale before 0.8.64 Privilege Escalation via exec_shell_interact29Monitor
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hmbown CodeWhale | 0.8.23 · description | Vendor (CNA) |
| crates.io:deepseek-tui | 0.8.23 | Package registry (OSV) |
| crates.io:deepseek-tui-cli | 0.8.23 | Package registry (OSV) |
| npm:deepseek-tui | 0.8.23 | Package registry (OSV) |
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.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
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.
- CVE-2026-453740 days apartCodeWhale: task_create Insecure Defaults Enable RCE via Prompt Injection in Project Files38Monitor
- CVE-2026-7585882 days apartCodeWhale rlm_eval before 0.8.64 Remote Code Execution34Monitor
- CVE-2026-7591182 days apartCodeWhale before 0.8.64 Remote Code Execution via allow_shell34Monitor
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.
- A user must open a link or visit a page.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
Impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component (scope changes).
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-94 · Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
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)
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.