Cortex has Untrusted Project Bootstrap Code Execution via `CLAUDE_PROJECT_DIR`
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and GitHub. Impact type from CWE-829.
Summary
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 — automatically set by Claude Code to the currently open project directory — 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.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cdeust | Cortex | before 3.17.1 | 3.17.1 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | neuro-cortex-memory (PyPI) | before 3.18.0 | 3.18.0 | Patch available | GHSA-gvpp-v77h-5w8g |
- Cortex Vendorcdeust Affected before 3.17.1 Fixed in 3.17.1 Patch available CNA
- neuro-cortex-memory (PyPI) Vendor— Affected before 3.18.0 Fixed in 3.18.0 Patch available GHSA-gvpp-v77h-5w8g
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Cortex (cdeust) Fixed in 3.17.1
- Fix · GHSA-gvpp-v77h-5w8g neuro-cortex-memory (PyPI) Fixed in 3.18.0 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-49986
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-gvpp-v77h-5w8g
References
Sources
- CVE-2026-49986 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-49986 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-gvpp-v77h-5w8g · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
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