mcp-shell — Security Disabled by Default in Bare-Binary Deploy Path + Shell Interpreter in Secure-Mode Allowlist
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- 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-78.
Summary
mcp-shell is an MCP server for running shell commands securely, auditably, and on demand. Prior to 0.6.0, config.go initializes Security.Enabled to false, and when MCP_SHELL_SEC_CONFIG_FILE is unset, main.go starts the documented bare-binary deployment without a security policy. SecurityValidator.validateCommand in security.go then short-circuits and allows every command supplied to the shell_exec MCP tool, so an LLM connected over stdio can execute unrestricted OS commands as the mcp-shell process user. The README from-source installation and MCP client configuration omit MCP_SHELL_SEC_CONFIG_FILE, making the insecure state the documented default. This issue is fixed in version 0.6.0.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sonirico | mcp-shell | before 0.6.0 | 0.6.0 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | github.com/sonirico/mcp-shell (Go) | before 0.6.0 | 0.6.0 | Patch available | GHSA-f5pj-2738-996m |
- mcp-shell Vendorsonirico Affected before 0.6.0 Fixed in 0.6.0 Patch available CNA
- github.com/sonirico/mcp-shell (Go) Vendor— Affected before 0.6.0 Fixed in 0.6.0 Patch available GHSA-f5pj-2738-996m
Remediation
- Fix · CNA mcp-shell (sonirico) Fixed in 0.6.0
- Fix · GHSA-f5pj-2738-996m github.com/sonirico/mcp-shell (Go) Fixed in 0.6.0 Advisory →
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-55580
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-f5pj-2738-996m
References
Other 5
- https://github.com/sonirico/mcp-shell/security/advisories/GHSA-f5pj-2738-996m
- https://github.com/sonirico/mcp-shell/pull/16
- https://github.com/sonirico/mcp-shell/commit/f31377fce6ec31114e5a4398c0e5270552bce09f
- https://github.com/sonirico/mcp-shell/releases/tag/v0.6.0
- https://github.com/sonirico/mcp-shell
More sonirico vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-40121 mcp-shell: Secure Mode Allowlist Bypass via Git Shell Alias CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2026-40120 mcp-shell: Secure Mode Allowlist Bypass via Default `/bin/bash` Executable CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2025-38006 A command injection vulnerability in the shell_exec function of sonirico mcp-shell v0.3.1… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.5
Sources
- CVE-2026-55580 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-55580 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-f5pj-2738-996m · 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