# CVE-2026-57133: PraisonAI shell command allowlist bypass via shell chaining

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-57133-praisonai-shell-command-allowlist-bypass-via-shell-chaining  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-15. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-57133 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.8 · Published 2026-09-15

PraisonAI is an npm package that provides AI agent automation tools, including a utility function meant to safely execute read-only shell commands. The vulnerability allows attackers to bypass the command allowlist by chaining unauthorized commands after an allowed command using shell metacharacters (e.g., `echo ok; printf malicious`), enabling arbitrary code execution with PraisonAI process privileges when the helper is exposed to untrusted input sources.

Technologies: [praisonai (npm)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/npm-praisonai). Vendors: [npm](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/npm).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-57133 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-57133 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-57133?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.8, published 15 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** praisonai (npm) SEMVER:introduced=1.5.1,fixed=1.7.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-57133?** Yes. praisonai (npm): upgrade to 1.7.2 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-57133 attacked?** It is attacked over the network.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-57133?** Check whether you run praisonai (npm) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- praisonai (npm): upgrade to 1.7.2 or later

  ```sh
  npm install praisonai@1.7.2
  ```


## Technical details

The vulnerability is a command injection / authorization bypass in the utility-tools.shell() function. The root cause is a policy/parser differential: the function validates only the first whitespace-delimited token against a hardcoded allowlist (ls, cat, head, tail, wc, grep, find, echo, date, pwd, which), but then executes the entire command string through Node.js child_process.exec(), which runs through a shell. Because the shell parses metacharacters like semicolons, pipes, and redirects, an attacker can bypass the allowlist by prefixing a forbidden command with an allowed one: `echo harmless; malicious-command`. The attack requires network reachability to an application exposing this helper and the ability to influence the command input (via prompts, user tasks, plugin input, or agent-controlled tool output). There is no user interaction required. The patch (version 1.7.2+) replaces exec() with execFile() or spawn() with shell disabled and/or validates the entire parsed command, not just the first token.

## Affected products

- Mervin Praison PraisonAI >=1.5.1, <=1.7.1

## Identifiers

- CVE-2026-57133
- GHSA-5jv7-2mjm-h6qj

## Timeline

- 2026-06-18: disclosed
- 2026-06-18: patched: Patch released in version 1.7.2

## References

- [https://github.com/MervinPraison/PraisonAI/security/advisories/GHSA-5jv7-2mjm-h6qj](https://github.com/MervinPraison/PraisonAI/security/advisories/GHSA-5jv7-2mjm-h6qj)
- [https://github.com/MervinPraison/PraisonAI](https://github.com/MervinPraison/PraisonAI)

## Related threats

- [PraisonAI codeMode tool remote code execution via sandbox escape](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-57141-praisonai-codemode-tool-remote-code-execution-via-sandbox-escape)
- [npm PraisonAI codeMode sandbox escape via Function constructor](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-57138-npm-praisonai-codemode-sandbox-escape-via-function-constructor)
- [PraisonAI AgentLoop approval bypass via post-execution callback](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-57137-praisonai-agentloop-approval-bypass-via-post-execution-callback)
- [PraisonAI SandboxExecutor command allowlist bypass via shell chaining](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-57136-praisonai-sandboxexecutor-command-allowlist-bypass-via-shell)
- [PraisonAI SandboxExecutor network isolation bypass via non-proxy-aware clients](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-57135-praisonai-sandboxexecutor-network-isolation-bypass-via-non-proxy)