CVE-2026-49986

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{"affected": [{"affectedData": [{"product": "Cortex", "vendor": "cdeust", "versions": [{"status": "affected", "version": "< 3.17.1"}]}], "source": "security-advisories@github.com"}], "cveTags": [], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "The Cortex MCP server (`neuro-cortex-memory`), a cross-platform persistent memory MCP, prior to version 3.17.1 treats the `CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR` environment variable \u2014 automatically set by Claude Code to the currently open project directory \u2014 as a trusted Cortex developer checkout. When the `open_visualization` tool is invoked, `_find_dev_source()` resolves the user's active project directory as a candidate Cortex source root. The only validation performed by `_is_cortex_root()` is a check for the presence of an `mcp_server/` subdirectory and a `ui/unified-viz.html` file. An attacker who places these two marker files in a malicious repository can cause Cortex to execute an arbitrary `mcp_server/server/visualize_bootstrap.py` from that directory via `subprocess.run([sys.executable, ...])`, achieving code execution with the privileges of the victim's local user process. Version 3.17.1 fixes the issue."}], "id": "CVE-2026-49986", "lastModified": "2026-09-18T20:09:01.757", "metrics": {"cvssMetricV40": [{"cvssData": {"Automatable": "NOT_DEFINED", "Recovery": "NOT_DEFINED", "Safety": "NOT_DEFINED", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "attackRequirements": "NONE", "attackVector": "LOCAL", "availabilityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "baseScore": 7.1, "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "confidentialityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "exploitMaturity": "PROOF_OF_CONCEPT", "integrityRequirement": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackComplexity": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackRequirements": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedAttackVector": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedPrivilegesRequired": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedSubIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedUserInteraction": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnAvailabilityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnConfidentialityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "modifiedVulnIntegrityImpact": "NOT_DEFINED", "privilegesRequired": "LOW", "providerUrgency": "NOT_DEFINED", "subAvailabilityImpact": "NONE", "subConfidentialityImpact": "NONE", "subIntegrityImpact": "NONE", "userInteraction": "NONE", "valueDensity": "NOT_DEFINED", "vectorString": "CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/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", "version": "4.0", "vulnAvailabilityImpact": "HIGH", "vulnConfidentialityImpact": "HIGH", "vulnIntegrityImpact": "HIGH", "vulnerabilityResponseEffort": "NOT_DEFINED"}, "source": "security-advisories@github.com", "type": "Secondary"}], "ssvcV203": [{"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0", "ssvcData": {"id": "CVE-2026-49986", "options": [{"exploitation": "poc"}, {"automatable": "no"}, {"technicalImpact": "total"}], "role": "CISA Coordinator", "timestamp": "2026-08-17T19:35:41.212124Z", "version": "2.0.3"}}]}, "published": "2026-08-14T17:18:27.147", "references": [{"source": "security-advisories@github.com", "url": "https://github.com/cdeust/Cortex/releases/tag/v3.17.1"}, {"source": "security-advisories@github.com", "url": "https://github.com/cdeust/Cortex/security/advisories/GHSA-gvpp-v77h-5w8g"}, {"source": "security-advisories@github.com", "url": "https://github.com/pypa/advisory-database/tree/main/vulns/neuro-cortex-memory/PYSEC-2026-2676.yaml"}, {"source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0", "url": "https://github.com/cdeust/Cortex/security/advisories/GHSA-gvpp-v77h-5w8g"}], "sourceIdentifier": "security-advisories@github.com", "vulnStatus": "Deferred", "weaknesses": [{"description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "CWE-829"}], "source": "security-advisories@github.com", "type": "Secondary"}]}

{}

{"affected": [{"configurations": [{"platform": null, "status": "affected", "versions": {"scheme": "semver", "value": "[0,3.17.1)"}}], "enrichment": {"confidence": 100.0, "confidence_source": "cna", "scores": [{"score": 100.0, "source": "cna"}]}, "original": {"product": "Cortex", "source": "cna", "vendor": "cdeust"}, "product": "cortex", "vendor": "cdeust"}], "created": "2026-08-14T17:30:12.264855+00:00", "updated": "2026-08-17T11:01:04.334702+00:00", "vendors": ["cdeust", "cdeust$PRODUCT$cortex"]}