# CVE-2026-22708: Cursor has a Terminal Tool Allowlist Bypass via Environment Variables

> Attackers can bypass terminal allowlists in Cursor's Auto-Run mode via prompt injection to execute unauthorized shell commands and modify environment variables.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 14 Jan 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Jan 2026

## What is CVE-2026-22708?

CVE-2026-22708 is a high-severity vulnerability in cursor, published on 14 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Cursor is a code editor built for programming with AI. Prior to 2.3, hen the Cursor Agent is running in Auto-Run Mode with Allowlist mode enabled, certain shell built-ins can still be executed without appearing in the allowlist and without requiring user approval.
This allows an attacker via indirect or direct prompt injection to poison the shell environment by setting, modifying, or removing environment variables that influence trusted commands. This vulnerability is fixed in 2.3.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code), CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command), CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command), CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component), CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management), CWE-15 (External Control of System or Configuration Setting)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-22708?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Anysphere Cursor.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-22708?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-22708 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-22708 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-22708 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in cursor

- [CVE-2026-50548](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50548/): Cursor Desktop sandbox escape via agent-controlled working directory (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2026-50549](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-50549/): Cursor Desktop sandbox escape via symlink and failed path canonicalization (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2025-64106](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-64106/): Cursor: Speedbump Modal Bypass in MCP Server Deep-Link (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-64107](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-64107/): Cursor is Vulnerable to Path Manipulation Using Backslashes on Windows (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-64108](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-64108/): Cursor's Sensitive File Modification can Lead to NTFS Path Quirks (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-22708 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-22708 is a high-severity vulnerability in cursor, published on 14 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-22708 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: cursor. 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-2026-22708/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-22708/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-22708
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-22708
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-22708

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-22708/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.