# CVE-2026-90690: 0x4m4 HexStrike AI command injection in API Tools Endpoint

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90690-0x4m4-hexstrike-ai-command-injection-in-api-tools-endpoint  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-09-14. Updated: 2026-09-26  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-90690 · Severity: high · CVSS 7.3 · Published 2026-09-14

HexStrike AI is an open-source security testing tool that provides a suite of hacking and penetration testing utilities via a web API. A command injection vulnerability in over 90 API endpoints allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary operating system commands by manipulating input parameters such as additional_args, target, username, password, scan_type, and payload. An attacker can exploit this to gain full system control and potentially compromise the security infrastructure relying on this tool.

Technologies: [0x4m4 HexStrike AI](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/hexstrike-ai). Vendors: [0x4m4](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/0x4m4).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-90690 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-90690 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-90690?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 7.3, published 14 September 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** 0x4m4 HexStrike AI up to commit d689933ff579d839c676c82b231f8e98326c5f04.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-90690?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-90690 attacked?** It is attacked over the network, in a software library.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-90690?** Check whether you run 0x4m4 HexStrike AI 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.

## Technical details

The vulnerability is a classic OS command injection flaw in the subprocess.Popen call within hexstrike_server.py's API Tools Endpoint. The vulnerable component fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied arguments (additional_args, target, username, password, scan_type, payload) before passing them to subprocess.Popen, allowing attackers to break out of intended command syntax and inject arbitrary shell commands. The attack is network-reachable with no authentication required. A successful exploit results in remote code execution with the privileges of the application process. A fix is in progress via pull request #266 on the GitHub repository.

## Affected products

- 0x4m4 HexStrike AI up to commit d689933ff579d839c676c82b231f8e98326c5f04

## Timeline

- 2026-09-14: disclosed: CVE-2026-90690 published
- 2026-09-09: other: Fix pull request #266 submitted

## References

- [https://github.com/0x4m4/hexstrike-ai/issues/224](https://github.com/0x4m4/hexstrike-ai/issues/224)
- [https://github.com/0x4m4/hexstrike-ai/pull/266](https://github.com/0x4m4/hexstrike-ai/pull/266)

## Related threats

- [0x4m4 HexStrike AI path traversal in file operations](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90691-0x4m4-hexstrike-ai-path-traversal-in-file-operations)
- [0x4m4 HexStrike AI authentication bypass in API endpoint](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90620-0x4m4-hexstrike-ai-authentication-bypass-in-api-endpoint)
- [0x4m4 HexStrike AI OS command injection in Execute Endpoint](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-90619-0x4m4-hexstrike-ai-os-command-injection-in-execute-endpoint)