# CVE-2025-68433: Zed IDE MCP Context Server Configuration Arbitrary Code Execution

> Attackers can execute arbitrary shell commands on the host system by tricking users into opening a malicious project in the Zed IDE.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 18 Dec 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cv6g-cmxc-vw8j

## What is CVE-2025-68433?

CVE-2025-68433 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in zed-industries zed, published on 17 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Zed, a code editor, has an aribtrary code execution vulnerability in versions prior to 0.218.2-pre. The Zed IDE loads Model Context Protocol (MCP) configurations from the `settings.json` file located within a project’s `.zed` subdirectory. A malicious MCP configuration can contain arbitrary shell commands that run on the host system with the privileges of the user running the IDE. This can be triggered automatically without any user interaction besides opening the project in the IDE. Version 0.218.2-pre fixes the issue by implementing worktree trust mechanism. As a workaround, users should carefully review the contents of project settings files (`./zed/settings.json`) before opening new projects in Zed.

Weakness: CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-68433?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Zed Zed.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-68433?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-68433 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-68433 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-68433 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in zed-industries zed

- [CVE-2026-27976](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-27976/): Zed Extension Sandbox Escape via Tar Symlink Following (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-44461](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44461/): Zed: Remote Command Injection via Unquoted Environment Variable Keys (SSH / WSL Remote) (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2026-44463](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44463/): Zed: Allowlist Bypass via Environment Variable Injection in Terminal Tool Permissions (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2026-44465](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44465/): Zed: Zed IDE Arbitrary Code Execution via untrusted repository with poisoned .git/config (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2026-44466](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-44466/): Zed: Allowlist Bypass via Bash Arithmetic Expansion in Terminal Tool Permissions (high 8.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-68433 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-68433 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in zed-industries zed, published on 17 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-68433 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: zed-industries zed. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68433/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68433/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-68433
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-68433
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-68433

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68433/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.