# CVE-2026-69098: kotaemon 0.12.0 Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution via Insecure Deserialization

> Unauthenticated attackers can achieve remote code execution in kotaemon by sending crafted YAML/JSON payloads to the check_connection endpoint.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 4 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5cg2-9v3x-66cv

## What is CVE-2026-69098?

CVE-2026-69098 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Cinnamon kotaemon, published on 4 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

kotaemon through 0.12.0 contains an insecure deserialization vulnerability in the check_connection endpoint that allows unauthenticated attackers to instantiate arbitrary Python classes by supplying crafted YAML/JSON input with a __type__ field. Attackers can exploit this to override the __type__ field with subprocess.check_output and arbitrary arguments, achieving remote code execution with application process privileges.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-69098?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-69098?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-69098 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-69098 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-69098 exists.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/0xdak/CVE-2026-69098_exploit (github_poc): https://github.com/0xdak/CVE-2026-69098_exploit

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-69098 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-69098 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Cinnamon kotaemon, published on 4 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-69098 exists.

Affected product: Cinnamon kotaemon. 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-2026-69098/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-69098/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-69098
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-69098
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-69098

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-69098/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.