Cursor's Modification of MCP Server Definitions Bypasses Manual Re-approvals
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-78.
Summary
Cursor is a code editor built for programming with AI. In versions 1.2.4 and below, attackers can achieve remote and persistent code execution by modifying an already trusted MCP configuration file inside a shared GitHub repository or editing the file locally on the target's machine. Once a collaborator accepts a harmless MCP, the attacker can silently swap it for a malicious command (e.g., calc.exe) without triggering any warning or re-prompt. If an attacker has write permissions on a user's active branches of a source repository that contains existing MCP servers the user has previously approved, or allows an attacker has arbitrary file-write locally, the attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution. This is fixed in version 1.3.
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
Remediation
- Fix · CNA cursor (cursor) Fixed in 1.3
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2025-54136
References
More Cursor vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-45043 Cursor for Windows 3.2.16 RCE via Malicious git.exe in Workspace CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2026-37271 Cursor Desktop sandbox escape via symlink and failed path canonicalization CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.3
- TI-2026-37270 Cursor Desktop sandbox escape via agent-controlled working directory CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.3
- TI-2025-38037 Cursor CLI's Cursor Agent MCP OAuth2 Communication is Vulnerable to Remote Code Execution CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2025-33978 Cursor Agent is vulnerable to prompt injection via MCP Special Files CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-21238 Cursor sandbox escape via Git hooks CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.9
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences