CVE-2026-45374CodeWhale: task_create Insecure Defaults Enable RCE via Prompt Injection in Project Files
Updated under an hour ago ()
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It affects Hmbown CodeWhale. Add what you run to find out whether that includes you.
No exploitation reported and no EPSS estimate yet.
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CodeWhale is a DeepSeek + MiMo coding agent in terminal. Prior to 0.8.26, the task_create tool spawns durable sub-agents that inherit two insecure defaults, allow_shell defaults to true (config.rs:1499: self.allow_shell.unwrap_or(true)) and auto_approve defaults to true (task_manager.rs:297: auto_approve: Some(true)). When a user approves a task_create call (which requires ApprovalRequirement::Required), they approve what appears to be a benign work prompt. However, the spawned sub-agent silently receives unrestricted, unapproved shell access. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.8.26.
- CVSS
- 9.6 CRITICAL (v3.1, CNA)CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-94
- Known exploited
- Not in CISA's KEV catalog
- EPSS (exploitation in the next 30 days)
- Not loaded for this CVE
- Assigned by
- GitHub_M
- NVD analysis
- Deferred
- Record last updated
- May 29, 2026
- First seen by InfoSec Signals
- Oct 9, 2026
Affected products
Hmbown CodeWhale hmbown:codewhale (from the name) | before 0.8.26 | CNA record |
References
- https://github.com/Hmbown/CodeWhale/security/advisories/GHSA-72w5-pf8h-xfp4x-refsource-confirm
- https://github.com/Hmbown/DeepSeek-TUI/releases/tag/v0.8.26x-refsource-misc
The CVE record on cve.org NVD's entry
The CVE record is authoritative. Products marked “from the name” were identified from the CNA's free-text names, not a CPE, and are matched less certainly. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.