CodeWhale versions >= 0.8.41 and < 0.8.64 contain a vulnerability in the exec_shell_interact (alias exec_interact) tool, whose approval_requirement returns ApprovalRequirement::Auto. This overrides the default Required approval for code-executing tools, so LLM-controlled stdin is written into an already-approved long-running interactive shell (e.g., a python3 -i REPL, mysql, ssh, or sudo -i session) without any approval prompt. An attacker who can inject instructions via untrusted content the agent ingests (a fetched page, MCP result, or repo file) can cause commands to run at the privilege level of that approved process. Fixed in 0.8.64.
https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/codewhale-before-privilege-escalation-via-exec-shell-interact
https://github.com/Hmbown/CodeWhale/security/advisories/GHSA-g29h-pfmp-qp9r
https://github.com/Hmbown/CodeWhale/commit/57f3c89471e27ac4032d9791f6885e5d4408c381
Published: 2026-08-18
Updated: 2026-09-08
Base Score: 6.2
Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Severity: Medium
Base Score: 7
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Severity: High
Base Score: 7.3
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Severity: High
EPSS: 0.00121