HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2026-40156
HIGHPOC

CVE-2026-40156

CWE-94Published: April 10, 2026· Updated: Apr 13, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

PraisonAI is a multi-agent teams system. Prior to 4.5.128, PraisonAI automatically loads a file named tools.py from the current working directory to discover and register custom agent tools. This loading process uses importlib.util.spec_from_file_location and immediately executes module-level code via spec.loader.exec_module() without explicit user consent, validation, or sandboxing. The tools.py file is loaded implicitly, even when it is not referenced in configuration files or explicitly requested by the user. As a result, merely placing a file named tools.py in the working directory is sufficient to trigger code execution. This behavior violates the expected security boundary between user-controlled project files (e.g., YAML configurations) and executable code, as untrusted content in the working directory is treated as trusted and executed automatically. If an attacker can place a malicious tools.py file into a directory where a user or automated system (e.g., CI/CD pipeline) runs praisonai, arbitrary code execution occurs immediately upon startup, before any agent logic begins. This vulnerability is fixed in 4.5.128.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2026-40156 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2026-40156. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploit & PoC Resources

POC AVAILABLEProof-of-concept code exists
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

All References (2)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2026-40156
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-94
CISA KEVNo
ExploitPOC
PublishedApr 10, 2026

Related CVEs (CWE-94)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2026-40156 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.