Command Injection in MCP Server ios-simulator-mcp
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-78.
Summary
iOS Simulator MCP Server (ios-simulator-mcp) is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for interacting with iOS simulators. Versions prior to 1.3.3 are written in a way that is vulnerable to command injection vulnerability attacks as part of some of its MCP Server tool definition and implementation. The MCP Server exposes the tool `ui_tap` which relies on Node.js child process API `exec` which is an unsafe and vulnerable API if concatenated with untrusted user input. LLM exposed user input for `duration`, `udid`, and `x` and `y` args can be replaced with shell meta-characters like `;` or `&&` or others to change the behavior from running the expected command `idb` to another command. When LLMs are tricked through prompt injection (and other techniques and attack vectors) to call the tool with input that uses special shell characters such as `; rm -rf /tmp;#` and other payload variations, the full command-line text will be interepted by the shell and result in other commands except of `ps` executing on the host running the MCP Server. Version 1.3.3 contains a patch for the issue.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| joshuayoes | ios-simulator-mcp | before 1.3.3 | 1.3.3 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | ios-simulator-mcp (npm) | before 1.3.3 | 1.3.3 | Patch available | GHSA-6f6r-m9pv-67jw |
- ios-simulator-mcp Vendorjoshuayoes Affected before 1.3.3 Fixed in 1.3.3 Patch available CNA
- ios-simulator-mcp (npm) Vendor— Affected before 1.3.3 Fixed in 1.3.3 Patch available GHSA-6f6r-m9pv-67jw
Remediation
- Fix · CNA ios-simulator-mcp (joshuayoes) Fixed in 1.3.3
- Fix · GHSA-6f6r-m9pv-67jw ios-simulator-mcp (npm) Fixed in 1.3.3 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-52573
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-6f6r-m9pv-67jw
- 2026-10-23 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
Other 5
- https://github.com/joshuayoes/ios-simulator-mcp/security/advisories/GHSA-6f6r-m9pv-67jw
- https://github.com/joshuayoes/ios-simulator-mcp/commit/eb53a4f2cc8bbeb13e8d6d930f00167befcdb809
- https://github.com/joshuayoes/ios-simulator-mcp/blob/main/src/index.ts#L166-L207
- https://github.com/joshuayoes/ios-simulator-mcp/releases/tag/v1.3.3
- https://github.com/joshuayoes/ios-simulator-mcp
Sources
- CVE-2025-52573 · CVE Program
- CVE-2025-52573 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-6f6r-m9pv-67jw · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences