NousResearch hermes-agent file_tools.py _check_sensitive_path symlink
A security flaw has been discovered in NousResearch hermes-agent 0.8.0. This affects the function _check_sensitive_path of the file tools/file_tools.py. The manipulation results in symlink following. Attacking locally is a requirement. The exploit has been released to the public and may be used for attacks. Upgrading to version 0.9.0 is able to mitigate this issue. The patch is identified as 311dac197145e19e07df68feba2cd55d896a3cd1. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.
- Published
- Apr 29, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.2% · 6th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-59
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Report tools
Action score
7
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 7 / 40 · 1.9 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.2%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- proof of concept
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · VulDB
- 4.8
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
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 helpAffected systems
—
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (VulDB). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
NousResearch hermes-agent
- 0.9.0not affected
- 0.8.0affected
Same product
nousresearch: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2026-82021Hermes Agent 0.18.2 < 0.19.0 MCP Catalog Supply Chain RCE via Mutable Branch Reference36Monitor
- CVE-2026-71963Hermes Agent 0.18.2 - 0.21.0 RCE via git core.fsmonitor Config Injection34Monitor
- CVE-2026-53869Hermes Agent < 0.16.0 - DNS Rebinding Bypass via WebSocket Endpoints34Monitor
- CVE-2026-82020Hermes Agent 0.16.0 < 0.17.0 Credential Store Overwrite via File-Write Tool30Monitor
- CVE-2026-85105NousResearch hermes-agent Session Management s71.py _sess_nowait authorization27Monitor
- CVE-2026-53870Hermes Agent < 0.16.0 - Sensitive File Permission Vulnerability in Store Files27Monitor
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 |
|---|---|---|
| NousResearch hermes-agent | 0.9.0 · 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.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
- Yu_Bao (VulDB User)reporter
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
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- Integrity
- Availability
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- X
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-59 · Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')CVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/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)
ATT&CK techniques
- Obfuscated Files or Information: HTML SmugglingT1027.006
- Obfuscated Files or Information: Embedded PayloadsT1027.009
- Boot or Logon Autostart Execution:Shortcut ModificationT1547.009
- Hide Artifacts: Resource ForkingT1564.009
- Hijack Execution Flow: Executable Installer File Permissions WeaknessT1574.005
- Hijack Execution Flow: Services File Permissions WeaknessT1574.010
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/
- github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/commit/311dac197145e19e07df68feba2cd55d896a3cd1
- github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/issues/8734
- github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/pull/8829
- github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/releases/tag/v2026.4.13
- vuldb.com/submit/803270
- vuldb.com/vuln/360121
- vuldb.com/vuln/360121/cti
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.