# CVE-2026-75857: CodeWhale before 0.8.64 Privilege Escalation via exec_shell_interact

> Attackers can execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges by injecting instructions into an AI coding assistant's interactive shell tool.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:H/AT:P/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 29 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g29h-pfmp-qp9r

## What is CVE-2026-75857?

CVE-2026-75857 is a high-severity vulnerability in Hmbown CodeWhale, published on 18 Aug 2026. 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

CodeWhale versions >= 0.3.10 and < 0.8.64 (published as deepseek-tui >= 0.3.10 and < 0.8.41 on npm and 0.3.10 through 0.8.41 on crates.io, and as codewhale / codewhale-tui >= 0.8.41 and < 0.8.64) contain a vulnerability in the exec_shell_interact (alias exec_interact) tool, whose approval_requirement returns ApprovalRequirement::Auto. This overrides the default Required approval for code-executing tools, so LLM-controlled stdin is written into an already-approved long-running interactive shell (e.g., a python3 -i REPL, mysql, ssh, or sudo -i session) without any approval prompt. An attacker who can inject instructions via untrusted content the agent ingests (a fetched page, MCP result, or repo file) can cause commands to run at the privilege level of that approved process. Fixed in codewhale / codewhale-tui 0.8.64; the deprecated deepseek-tui crate has no fixed release.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-75857?

8 open source packages ship an affected version, including codewhale-tui, deepseek-tui and codewhale.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `codewhale-tui` | crates.io | From 0.8.41 | 0.8.64 |
| `codewhale-tui` | crates.io | From 0.8.41 | 0.8.64 |
| `deepseek-tui` | crates.io | From 0.3.10 to 0.8.41 | None |
| `deepseek-tui` | crates.io | From 0.3.10 to 0.8.41 | None |
| `codewhale` | npm | From 0.8.41 | 0.8.64 |
| `codewhale` | npm | From 0.8.41 | 0.8.64 |
| `deepseek-tui` | npm | From 0.3.10 | 0.8.41 |
| `deepseek-tui` | npm | From 0.3.10 | 0.8.41 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-75857?

Upgrade codewhale-tui to 0.8.64 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-75857 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-75857 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-75857 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-75857 is a high-severity vulnerability in Hmbown CodeWhale, published on 18 Aug 2026. 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: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-75857 exists.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- codewhale-tui (crates.io): affected from 0.8.41; fixed in 0.8.64
- codewhale-tui (crates.io): affected from 0.8.41; fixed in 0.8.64
- deepseek-tui (crates.io): affected from 0.3.10 up to 0.8.41; no fix listed
- deepseek-tui (crates.io): affected from 0.3.10 up to 0.8.41; no fix listed
- codewhale (npm): affected from 0.8.41; fixed in 0.8.64
- codewhale (npm): affected from 0.8.41; fixed in 0.8.64
- deepseek-tui (npm): affected from 0.3.10; fixed in 0.8.41
- deepseek-tui (npm): affected from 0.3.10; fixed in 0.8.41

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-2026-75857/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-75857/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-75857
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-75857
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-75857

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-75857/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.