CVE-2026-27203
Environment Variable Injection in eBay MCP Server Enables RCE
Publication date: 2026-02-21
Last updated on: 2026-02-21
Assigner: GitHub, Inc.
Description
Description
CVSS Scores
EPSS Scores
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Meta Information
Affected Vendors & Products
| Vendor | Product | Version / Range |
|---|---|---|
| ebay | ebay_set_user_tokens | 1.7.2 |
Helpful Resources
Exploitability
| CWE ID | Description |
|---|---|
| CWE-15 | One or more system settings or configuration elements can be externally controlled by a user. |
| CWE-74 | The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component. |
Attack-Flow Graph
AI Powered Q&A
How does this vulnerability affect compliance with common standards and regulations (like GDPR, HIPAA)?:
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How can this vulnerability be detected on my network or system? Can you suggest some commands?
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Can you explain this vulnerability to me?
CVE-2026-27203 is a vulnerability in the ebay_set_user_tokens tool of the eBay API MCP Server. The issue lies in the updateEnvFile function, which updates the .env configuration file by appending or replacing environment variable values without validating inputs for special characters like newlines or quotes.
This lack of input validation allows an attacker to inject arbitrary environment variables into the .env file, potentially leading to configuration overwrites, Denial of Service (DoS), and even Remote Code Execution (RCE).
How can this vulnerability impact me? :
The vulnerability can have several serious impacts:
- Configuration Overwrites: Attackers can overwrite critical environment variables such as EBAY_REDIRECT_URI, potentially hijacking OAuth authentication flows.
- Denial of Service (DoS): Injecting malformed or invalid configuration data can prevent the server from starting.
- Potential Remote Code Execution (RCE): In certain environments, controlling environment variables like NODE_OPTIONS can lead to execution of arbitrary code.
What immediate steps should I take to mitigate this vulnerability?
To mitigate the vulnerability in the ebay_set_user_tokens tool, you should avoid using the vulnerable updateEnvFile function that blindly appends or replaces environment variables without validation.
A safer approach involves updating the environment variable management to use structured parsing and stringification libraries such as dotenv and dotenv-stringify, which securely handle environment variables and prevent injection.
Specifically, the updateEnvFile function should be refactored to:
- Parse the existing .env file into an object using dotenv.parse()
- Merge incoming updates safely into the existing environment object
- Convert the merged environment object back into a properly formatted .env string using dotenv-stringify
- Write the updated .env file atomically to avoid partial writes
Additionally, ensure that OAuth tokens are loaded exclusively from environment variables rather than code or logs to improve security.
Since no fixed version was available at the time of reporting, manual review and correction of the .env file to remove any injected variables is recommended.