{"id":"PYSEC-2026-3517","summary":"PraisonAI: Missing Authentication for Critical Function and Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') in praisonai","details":"# Unauthenticated PraisonAI UI MCP connect endpoint executes attacker-chosen local commands\n\n## Summary\n\nPraisonAI v4.6.48 exposes the PraisonAIUI MCP client management API through the default UI host apps without authentication. A remote unauthenticated client can send `POST /api/mcp/connect` with a `command` and `args` field. The endpoint passes those values into the MCP stdio client, which starts the attacker-selected local process as the PraisonAI UI service user.\n\nThe issue is reachable through PraisonAI's hosted UI integration (`praisonai ui`, `praisonai ui agents`, `praisonai claw`, and any app using `praisonai.integration.host_app.create_host_app()` / `build_host_app()`). `praisonai ui` and related Typer UI commands bind to `0.0.0.0` by default.\n\n## Affected Versions\n\nConfirmed affected:\n\n- `praisonai` v4.6.48\n- Commit tested: `d5f1114aaf1a2e9f121a6e66b929149ca2201f1d`\n- Tag tested: `v4.6.48`\n- Pinned UI dependency: `aiui==0.3.121` from `src/praisonai/uv.lock`\n\nLikely affected:\n\n- Any PraisonAI release that exposes `aiui` / `praisonaiui` `create_app()` through the PraisonAI UI host apps without authentication and includes the `mcp` dependency. I only confirmed the latest release during this audit.\n\n## Severity\n\nReasoning:\n\n- `AV`: the vulnerable endpoint is an HTTP API route.\n- `AC`: a single POST request is sufficient.\n- `PR`: default UI host apps do not require credentials unless opt-in auth is configured.\n- `UI`: no victim interaction is needed after the server is running.\n- `S`: code executes in the PraisonAI UI server process context.\n- `C/I/A`: arbitrary local command execution permits secret exfiltration, file tampering, and service disruption.\n\n## Root Cause\n\nPraisonAI depends on MCP by default and exposes PraisonAIUI via optional UI extras:\n\n- `src/praisonai/pyproject.toml:11` includes base dependencies.\n- `src/praisonai/pyproject.toml:19` includes `mcp\u003e=1.20.0`.\n- `src/praisonai/pyproject.toml:25` defines the `ui` extra with `aiui\u003e=0.3.121,\u003c0.4`.\n- `src/praisonai/pyproject.toml:197` defines the `claw` extra with `aiui[all]\u003e=0.3.121,\u003c0.4`.\n\nPraisonAI's UI commands bind externally by default and launch `aiui run`:\n\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/cli/commands/ui.py:114` sets `host=\"0.0.0.0\"` for `praisonai ui`.\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/cli/commands/ui.py:163` passes that host to `aiui run`.\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/cli/commands/ui.py:186`, `:204`, and `:222` also default subcommands to `0.0.0.0`.\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/cli/commands/claw.py:41` defines the full dashboard command.\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/cli/commands/claw.py:93` launches `aiui run` with the selected host.\n\nPraisonAI's default apps create the PraisonAIUI Starlette app without forcing authentication:\n\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/ui_chat/default_app.py:18` calls `configure_host(...)`.\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/ui_chat/default_app.py:142` exports `app = create_host_app()`.\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/claw/default_app.py:63` calls `configure_host(...)`.\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/claw/default_app.py:128` exports `app = create_host_app()`.\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/integration/host_app.py:174` imports `praisonaiui.server.create_app`.\n- `src/praisonai/praisonai/integration/host_app.py:180` returns `create_app()`.\n\nIn `aiui==0.3.121`, the exposed server registers the MCP routes and auth is opt-in:\n\n- `praisonaiui/server.py:1483` defines `api_mcp_connect`.\n- `praisonaiui/server.py:1488` reads attacker-controlled JSON.\n- `praisonaiui/server.py:1491` accepts either `command` or `url`.\n- `praisonaiui/server.py:1496` calls `connect_mcp_server(body)`.\n- `praisonaiui/server.py:2516` defines `create_app(..., require_auth=False, ...)`.\n- `praisonaiui/server.py:2550` adds `AuthEnforcementMiddleware`, but it only enforces auth when `AUTH_ENFORCE=true`.\n- `praisonaiui/server.py:2769` registers `/api/mcp/servers`.\n- `praisonaiui/server.py:2770` registers `/api/mcp/connect`.\n\nThe MCP feature converts the request body into a local process launch:\n\n- `praisonaiui/features/mcp.py:325` defines `connect_server(self, server_config)`.\n- `praisonaiui/features/mcp.py:330` chooses stdio transport when `command` is present.\n- `praisonaiui/features/mcp.py:332` constructs `StdioMCPClient(command=server_config[\"command\"], args=server_config.get(\"args\", []))`.\n- `praisonaiui/features/mcp.py:360` calls `client.connect()`, which invokes the MCP stdio transport and starts the process.\n\n## Minimal PoC\n\nPoC file: `poc/praisonai-aiui-mcp-connect-rce.py`\n\nThe PoC runs the PraisonAI host app in-process, sends the unauthenticated HTTP request, and asks the server to execute `/usr/bin/touch /tmp/praisonai_host_app_mcp_touch_marker.txt`. It does not contact an LLM provider and uses no credentials.\n\nObserved output from the tested checkout with `aiui==0.3.121` and `mcp==1.25.0` available:\n\n```text\n[19:19:55] server.py:229 WARNING No auth_token provided for Gateway server. Generated temporary token: gw_****650a. For production, set GATEWAY_AUTH_TOKEN.\n[19:19:55] mcp.py:135 ERROR Failed to connect to MCP stdio server: 'tuple' object has no attribute 'initialize'\nHTTP_STATUS= 200\nRESPONSE= {\"server\":{\"name\":\"poc-stdio-process-0\",\"transport\":\"stdio\",\"status\":\"error\",\"tools\":[],\"last_error\":\"Connection failed\"}}\nSUCCESS_AT_ATTEMPT= 0\nMARKER_EXISTS= True\nMARKER_PATH= /tmp/praisonai_host_app_mcp_touch_marker.txt\n```\n\nThe MCP handshake fails because `aiui==0.3.121` is not compatible with the locked `mcp==1.25.0` return shape, but the attacker-selected process is already started. Process startup can race the immediate teardown caused by this version mismatch, so the checked-in PoC retries the same unauthenticated request until `/usr/bin/touch` wins scheduling and creates the marker. The marker file proves local command execution despite the reported MCP connection error.\n\n## Exploit Scenario\n\nAn operator runs:\n\n```bash\npip install \"praisonai[ui]\"\npraisonai ui\n```\n\nBecause `praisonai ui` binds to `0.0.0.0` by default and the generated app does not require authentication by default, any host that can reach the UI port can send:\n\n```http\nPOST /api/mcp/connect\nContent-Type: application/json\n\n{\n  \"name\": \"evil\",\n  \"command\": \"/usr/bin/touch\",\n  \"args\": [\"/tmp/pwned-by-ui-mcp\"]\n}\n```\n\nIn a real attack, the command can be replaced with a shell, a credential exfiltration command, a file modification command, or a payload that starts a long-lived process as the PraisonAI UI server user.\n\n## Novelty / Non-Duplicate Analysis\n\nSearched sources:\n\n- OSV query for PyPI `praisonai`: 51 advisories returned.\n- OSV query for PyPI `aiui`: 0 advisories returned.\n- OSV query for PyPI `praisonaiui`: 0 advisories returned.\n- GitHub Advisory Database search for exact `/api/mcp/connect`, `api_mcp_connect`, `StdioMCPClient`, `connect_mcp_server`, and `praisonaiui.features.mcp`.\n- NVD API searches for `PraisonAI StdioMCPClient`, `PraisonAI api_mcp_connect`, `PraisonAI /api/mcp/connect`, `PraisonAIUI /api/mcp/connect`, and `aiui StdioMCPClient`: 0 results.\n- GitHub issue/PR searches in `MervinPraison/PraisonAI` for exact endpoint/function/class terms. Only one unrelated PR was returned for `/api/mcp/connect`; no issue/PR matched `api_mcp_connect`, `StdioMCPClient`, `connect_mcp_server`, or `praisonaiui.features.mcp`.\n- Broad web searches for exact endpoint, file, class, and function terms returned no matching public vulnerability report.\n\nWhy this is distinct from known PraisonAI advisories:\n\n- Not the excluded `praisonai serve agents --api-key` `/agents` auth bypass. This report targets `POST /api/mcp/connect` in the PraisonAIUI host app.\n- Not GHSA-9gm9-c8mq-vq7m / CVE-2026-34935 or GHSA-9qhq-v63v-fv3j / CVE-2026-41497. Those involve `MCPHandler.parse_mcp_command()` command parsing. This finding uses `praisonaiui.server.api_mcp_connect -\u003e praisonaiui.features.mcp.connect_mcp_server -\u003e StdioMCPClient`.\n- Not GHSA-pj2r-f9mw-vrcq / CVE-2026-40159. That advisory concerns sensitive environment variables inherited by untrusted MCP subprocesses. This finding is unauthenticated network-triggered local process execution.\n- Not GHSA-6rmh-7xcm-cpxj or GHSA-8444-4fhq-fxpq. Those concern unauthenticated legacy/generated agent servers. This is a distinct UI route and a distinct sink that starts arbitrary local processes.\n- Not GHSA-9cr9-25q5-8prj, GHSA-9mqq-jqxf-grvw, or other MCP server file-read/path-traversal advisories. This path is the UI MCP client connector, not PraisonAI's MCP server tool dispatcher.\n\n## Recommended Fix\n\n1. Remove arbitrary `command`/`args` from the remote HTTP API. MCP stdio servers should be configured only from trusted local configuration, not caller-supplied JSON.\n2. Require authentication and authorization on `/api/mcp/connect`, `/api/mcp/disconnect/*`, and `/api/mcp/servers` regardless of `AUTH_ENFORCE`.\n3. Change UI command defaults from `0.0.0.0` to `127.0.0.1`, or require an explicit `--unsafe-expose` style flag when binding externally without auth.\n4. If remote MCP registration is a required feature, allow only URL-based transports with SSRF protections, or maintain an administrator-configured allowlist of commands.\n5. Add regression tests that unauthenticated requests to `/api/mcp/connect` cannot start a subprocess, including when `AUTH_ENFORCE` is unset.","aliases":["CVE-2026-57124","GHSA-p75f-6fp4-p57w"],"modified":"2026-07-23T15:00:22.210183505Z","published":"2026-07-23T11:41:42.480874Z","references":[{"type":"WEB","url":"https://github.com/MervinPraison/PraisonAI/security/advisories/GHSA-p75f-6fp4-p57w"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://github.com/MervinPraison/PraisonAI"},{"type":"PACKAGE","url":"https://pypi.org/project/praisonai"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-p75f-6fp4-p57w"},{"type":"ADVISORY","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-57124"}],"affected":[{"package":{"name":"praisonai","ecosystem":"PyPI","purl":"pkg:pypi/praisonai"},"ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"4.6.59"}]}],"versions":["0.0.1","0.0.10","0.0.11","0.0.12","0.0.13","0.0.14","0.0.15","0.0.16","0.0.17","0.0.18","0.0.19","0.0.2","0.0.20","0.0.21","0.0.22","0.0.23","0.0.24","0.0.25","0.0.26","0.0.27","0.0.28","0.0.29","0.0.3","0.0.30","0.0.31","0.0.32","0.0.33","0.0.34","0.0.35","0.0.36","0.0.37","0.0.38","0.0.39","0.0.4","0.0.40","0.0.41","0.0.42","0.0.43","0.0.44","0.0.45","0.0.46","0.0.47","0.0.48","0.0.49","0.0.5","0.0.50","0.0.52","0.0.53","0.0.54","0.0.55","0.0.56","0.0.57","0.0.58","0.0.59","0.0.59rc11","0.0.59rc2","0.0.59rc3","0.0.59rc5","0.0.59rc6","0.0.59rc7","0.0.59rc8","0.0.59rc9","0.0.6","0.0.61","0.0.64","0.0.65","0.0.66","0.0.67","0.0.68","0.0.69","0.0.7","0.0.70","0.0.71","0.0.72","0.0.73","0.0.74","0.0.8","0.0.9","0.1.0","0.1.1","0.1.10","0.1.2","0.1.3","0.1.4","0.1.5","0.1.6","0.1.7","0.1.8","0.1.9","1.0.0","1.0.1","1.0.10","1.0.11","1.0.2","1.0.3","1.0.4","1.0.5","1.0.6","1.0.8","1.0.9","2.0.0","2.0.1","2.0.10","2.0.11","2.0.12","2.0.13","2.0.14","2.0.15","2.0.16","2.0.17","2.0.18","2.0.19","2.0.2","2.0.20","2.0.22","2.0.23","2.0.24","2.0.25","2.0.26","2.0.27","2.0.28","2.0.29","2.0.3","2.0.30","2.0.31","2.0.32","2.0.33","2.0.34","2.0.35","2.0.36","2.0.37","2.0.38","2.0.39","2.0.40","2.0.41","2.0.42","2.0.43","2.0.44","2.0.45","2.0.46","2.0.47","2.0.48","2.0.49","2.0.5","2.0.50","2.0.51","2.0.53","2.0.54","2.0.55","2.0.56","2.0.57","2.0.58","2.0.59","2.0.6","2.0.60","2.0.61","2.0.62","2.0.63","2.0.64","2.0.65","2.0.66","2.0.67","2.0.68","2.0.69","2.0.7","2.0.70","2.0.71","2.0.72","2.0.73","2.0.74","2.0.75","2.0.76","2.0.77","2.0.78","2.0.79","2.0.8","2.0.80","2.0.81","2.0.9","2.1.0","2.1.1","2.1.4","2.1.5","2.1.6","2.2.1","2.2.10","2.2.11","2.2.12","2.2.13","2.2.14","2.2.15","2.2.16","2.2.17","2.2.18","2.2.19","2.2.2","2.2.20","2.2.21","2.2.22","2.2.24","2.2.25","2.2.26","2.2.27","2.2.28","2.2.29","2.2.3","2.2.30","2.2.31","2.2.32","2.2.33","2.2.34","2.2.35","2.2.36","2.2.37","2.2.38","2.2.39","2.2.4","2.2.40","2.2.41","2.2.42","2.2.43","2.2.44","2.2.45","2.2.46","2.2.47","2.2.48","2.2.49","2.2.5","2.2.50","2.2.51","2.2.52","2.2.53","2.2.54","2.2.55","2.2.56","2.2.57","2.2.58","2.2.59","2.2.6","2.2.60","2.2.61","2.2.62","2.2.63","2.2.64","2.2.65","2.2.66","2.2.67","2.2.68","2.2.69","2.2.7","2.2.70","2.2.71","2.2.72","2.2.73","2.2.74","2.2.75","2.2.76","2.2.77","2.2.78","2.2.79","2.2.8","2.2.80","2.2.81","2.2.82","2.2.83","2.2.84","2.2.86","2.2.87","2.2.88","2.2.89","2.2.9","2.2.90","2.2.91","2.2.93","2.2.95","2.2.96","2.2.97","2.2.98","2.2.99","2.3.0","2.3.1","2.3.10","2.3.11","2.3.12","2.3.13","2.3.14","2.3.15","2.3.16","2.3.18","2.3.19","2.3.2","2.3.20","2.3.21","2.3.22","2.3.23","2.3.24","2.3.25","2.3.26","2.3.27","2.3.28","2.3.29","2.3.3","2.3.30","2.3.31","2.3.32","2.3.33","2.3.34","2.3.35","2.3.36","2.3.37","2.3.38","2.3.39","2.3.4","2.3.40","2.3.41","2.3.42","2.3.43","2.3.44","2.3.45","2.3.46","2.3.47","2.3.48","2.3.49","2.3.5","2.3.50","2.3.51","2.3.52","2.3.53","2.3.54","2.3.55","2.3.56","2.3.57","2.3.58","2.3.59","2.3.6","2.3.60","2.3.61","2.3.62","2.3.63","2.3.64","2.3.65","2.3.66","2.3.67","2.3.68","2.3.69","2.3.7","2.3.70","2.3.71","2.3.72","2.3.73","2.3.74","2.3.75","2.3.76","2.3.77","2.3.78","2.3.79","2.3.8","2.3.80","2.3.81","2.3.82","2.3.83","2.3.84","2.3.85","2.3.86","2.3.87","2.3.9","2.4.0","2.4.1","2.4.2","2.4.3","2.4.4","2.5.0","2.5.1","2.5.2","2.5.3","2.5.4","2.5.5","2.5.6","2.5.7","2.6.0","2.6.1","2.6.2","2.6.3","2.6.4","2.6.5","2.6.6","2.6.7","2.6.8","2.7.0","2.8.3","2.8.4","2.8.5","2.8.6","2.8.7","2.8.8","2.8.9","2.9.0","2.9.1","2.9.2","3.0.0","3.0.1","3.0.2","3.0.3","3.0.4","3.0.5","3.0.6","3.0.7","3.0.8","3.0.9","3.1.0","3.1.1","3.1.2","3.1.3","3.1.4","3.1.5","3.1.6","3.1.7","3.1.8","3.1.9","3.10.0","3.10.1","3.10.10","3.10.11","3.10.12","3.10.13","3.10.14","3.10.15","3.10.16","3.10.17","3.10.18","3.10.19","3.10.2","3.10.20","3.10.21","3.10.22","3.10.23","3.10.24","3.10.25","3.10.26","3.10.27","3.10.3","3.10.4","3.10.5","3.10.6","3.10.7","3.10.8","3.10.9","3.11.0","3.11.1","3.11.10","3.11.11","3.11.12","3.11.13","3.11.14","3.11.2","3.11.3","3.11.4","3.11.8","3.11.9","3.12.0","3.12.1","3.12.2","3.12.3","3.2.0","3.2.1","3.3.0","3.3.1","3.4.0","3.4.1","3.5.0","3.5.1","3.5.2","3.5.3","3.5.4","3.5.5","3.5.6","3.5.7","3.5.8","3.5.9","3.6.0","3.6.1","3.6.2","3.7.0","3.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