T05 · Unauthorized Access and Privilege Escalation
- Location
agents/performance-analyst.yaml:12- Finding
Unnecessary Command-Execution Permission in the Performance Analysis Agent
- Content
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Vulnerability Details
File Location:
agents/performance-analyst.yaml:12-16
Vulnerability Type: Excessive command-execution permission
Risk Level: MediumVulnerable Code
yaml tools: - Read # Read source code - Grep # Search for performance patterns - Glob # Find related files - exec # Run performance analysis toolsThe same agent is explicitly constrained to static analysis later in the file:
yaml ## Constraints - Perform static code analysis only; do not conduct runtime testing - Distinguish between theoretical complexity and practical impact - Provide quantifiable optimization recommendationsTechnical Analysis
The agent receives the unrestricted
exectool even though its declared task is static performance analysis and its system prompt explicitly prohibits runtime testing. This violates least privilege and creates an unnecessary code-execution channel.Performance tools commonly load project configuration, import application modules, invoke build hooks, or execute benchmark and profiling scripts. In an untrusted repository, these components may contain attacker-controlled commands. Therefore, invoking a seemingly legitimate profiler or analysis command can execute repository code with the permissions available to the review environment.
Attack Path
- An attacker submits a repository for review.
- The repository contains a malicious import hook, build script, profiler configuration, benchmark, or package lifecycle hook.
- The performance agent receives the repository content and has access to
exec. - The agent invokes a performance-analysis command against the repository.
- The command loads or executes the attacker-controlled component.
- The component runs with the privileges and environmental access of the review process.
Impact Assessment
Successful exploitation could allow arbitrary command execution within the review environment. Depending on ...[truncated 478 chars]
- Remediation
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Remediation Suggestions
- Remove
execfrom the agent and retain only the tools required for static analysis:
yaml tools: - Read - Grep - Glob- If runtime profiling is genuinely required, separate it into an explicit opt-in workflow requiring user approval.
- Run approved profiling only inside an ephemeral sandbox with:
- Network access disabled by default.
- A read-only project mount.
- No host credentials or sensitive environment variables.
- Strict CPU, memory, process, and execution-time limits.
- A narrowly defined command allowlist.
- No access to host sockets, home directories, or package-manager credentials.
- Prevent profilers from loading repository-defined plugins, startup files, or arbitrary configuration where possible.
- Preserve the existing static-analysis constraint and enforce it at the tool-permission layer rather than relying only on prompt instructions.
- Remove
