# CVE-2026-75859: CodeWhale before 0.8.64 Arbitrary File Read via instructions

> Attackers can read arbitrary files on the victim's system via malicious project config instructions in CodeWhale, leading to data exfiltration.

- **Severity:** High 8.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/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:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 20 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-62f5-cp2p-vq95

## What is CVE-2026-75859?

CVE-2026-75859 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Hmbown CodeWhale, published on 18 Aug 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

CodeWhale versions before 0.8.64 fail to validate file paths in the project config instructions field, allowing attackers to read arbitrary files on the victim's system. A malicious .codewhale/config.toml file in a cloned repository can specify paths outside the workspace that are read and injected into the AI system prompt for exfiltration.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-75859?

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 0.8.8 | None |
| `deepseek-tui` | crates.io | From 0.8.8 | None |
| `codewhale` | npm | From 0.8.41 | 0.8.64 |
| `codewhale` | npm | From 0.8.41 | 0.8.64 |
| `deepseek-tui` | npm | From 0.8.8 | 0.8.41 |
| `deepseek-tui` | npm | From 0.8.8 | 0.8.41 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-75859?

Upgrade codewhale-tui to 0.8.64 or later.

## Is CVE-2026-75859 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-75859 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-75859 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-75859 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Hmbown CodeWhale, published on 18 Aug 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-2026-75859 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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 0.8.8; no fix listed
- deepseek-tui (crates.io): affected from 0.8.8; 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 0.8.8; fixed in 0.8.41
- deepseek-tui (npm): affected from 0.8.8; 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-2026-75859/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-75859/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-75859
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-75859
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-75859

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-75859/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.