# CVE-2026-18976: NousResearch hermes-agent disabled_toolsets agent_init.py get_tool_definitions privileges assignment

> Remote attackers can exploit incorrect privilege assignment in the hermes-agent library to escalate privileges via the disabled_toolsets handler.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-6rr9-mpp7-j4mp

## What is CVE-2026-18976?

CVE-2026-18976 is a medium-severity vulnerability in NousResearch hermes-agent, published on 6 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability was determined in NousResearch hermes-agent up to 0.16.0. This impacts the function get_tool_definitions of the file agent/agent_init.py of the component disabled_toolsets Handler. This manipulation causes incorrect privilege assignment. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been publicly disclosed and may be utilized. The project was informed of the problem early through an issue report.

Weakness: CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-18976?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-18976?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-18976 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-18976 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-18976 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-18976 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-18976 is a medium-severity vulnerability in NousResearch hermes-agent, published on 6 Aug 2026. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-18976 exists.

Affected product: NousResearch hermes-agent. 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-2026-18976/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-18976/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-18976
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-18976
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-18976

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-18976/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.