Cursor: Sandbox escape via launching privileged containers
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- Present
- Impact type
- Privilege escalation
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-269.
Summary
Cursor is a code editor built for programming with AI. Prior to 3.0.0, Cursor IDE for macOS allows an agent running in Auto-Run Sandbox mode, when Docker Desktop and the Dev Containers CLI are installed, to launch a privileged container and mount Docker's virtiofs0, granting read and write access to the user's home directory and enabling host command execution with the user's privileges without an additional permission prompt. This issue is fixed in version 3.0.0.
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 3.0.0
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-73218
- 2026-10-25 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
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-2025-33979 Cursor's Modification of MCP Server Definitions Bypasses Manual Re-approvals CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2025-38624 OS command injection in cursor CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- 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
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences