CVE-2026-18997
Received Received - Intake

Incorrect Authorization in CosmicStack Labs Mercury Agent

Publication date: 2026-08-06

Last updated on: 2026-08-06

Assigner: VulDB

Description
A vulnerability was found in cosmicstack-labs mercury-agent up to 1.1.12. This issue affects the function Agent.handleBgCommand of the file src/core/agent.ts of the component bg Command Handler. Performing a manipulation results in incorrect authorization. It is possible to initiate the attack remotely. The exploit has been made public and could be used. The project was informed of the problem early through an issue report but has not responded yet.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-06
Last Modified
2026-08-06
Generated
2026-08-06
AI Q&A
2026-08-06
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-18997
EUVD
EUVD-2026-53711

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
cosmicstack-labs mercury-agent to 1.1.12 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-863 The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check.
CWE-285 The product does not perform or incorrectly performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.

Attack-Flow Graph

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Executive Summary

This is an authenticated command execution vulnerability in Mercury Agent versions 1.1.12 and earlier. It occurs due to a missing authorization check in the /bg <command> chat command, which bypasses the Ask Me shell approval mechanism. Normally, shell commands require approval via PermissionManager.checkShellCommand(), but the /bg path executes arbitrary OS commands directly with Mercury's privileges without any confirmation.

Detection Guidance

Check for unauthorized use of the /bg command in Mercury Agent logs or chat history. Monitor for unexpected command executions or privilege escalations. Review network traffic for suspicious API calls to the chat endpoint.

Impact Analysis

An authenticated web user can exploit this by sending /bg <command> through the chat API to execute arbitrary commands on the host system. This could allow attackers to access sensitive files, install malware, escalate privileges, or perform other malicious actions depending on the system's configuration and permissions.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, violating confidentiality requirements in GDPR and HIPAA. It may result in data breaches, unauthorized processing, or disclosure of protected health information, potentially leading to regulatory penalties and loss of compliance certifications.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade Mercury Agent to the latest version if available. Disable the /bg command feature if not required. Implement strict access controls and monitor for unauthorized command executions.

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