Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessIdentify exposed hermes-agent endpoint
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DeliverySend crafted read_file request with path traversal
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ExploitBypass _is_blocked_device validation
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ExecutionAccess restricted files
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ImpactModify configuration or disrupt operations
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Path canonicalization, traversal prevention
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Discovery, Collection The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Remote unauthenticated exploitation against default configurations of hermes-agent. The CVSS vector (PR:N/UI:N) confirms no authentication or user interaction is required. The specific condition is that the read_file tool component must be enabled and accessible to network requests, which is the default configuration for hermes-agent installations intended to provide file system capabilities. No special deployment modes or non-default settings are required. The vulnerability is limited by the implementation details of _is_blocked_device and the specific operations permitted through the read_file tool, which appear to restrict the impact to integrity and availability (CVSS I:L/A:L) rather than allowing full confidentiality breach, suggesting some implicit constraints on exploitable file operations even after path traversal succeeds. |
| Impact | The CVSS base score of 6.5 (Medium) reflects network-based exploitation (AV:N) with low complexity (AC:L) requiring no privileges (PR:N) or user interaction (UI:N), but with scope limited to integrity and availability impacts (I:L/A:L) rather than confidentiality breach. The temporal metrics show proof-of-concept exploit exists (E:P) with no official fix (RL:X), elevating real-world risk. Public exploit availability on GitHub significantly lowers the barrier to exploitation. However, the lack of confidentiality impact (C:N) and the limitation to low integrity/availability damage suggests the path traversal may be constrained to specific file operations rather than full arbitrary file read/write. The vendor's non-responsiveness is a critical red flag indicating no patch is forthcoming through official channels. Real-world priority is elevated by the network attack vector and public exploit, but tempered by the limited impact scope. Organizations using hermes-agent for file operations should treat this as high priority; those using it in isolated environments or without file system access can deprioritize. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker identifies an internet-exposed hermes-agent instance and accesses its read_file tool interface. Using the public exploit code from GitHub (https://gist.github.com/YLChen-007/1d1aeff404cb88e06ec2fb3377f49fef), they craft file path requests containing directory traversal sequences to bypass the _is_blocked_device validation. This allows manipulation of files outside the intended agent workspace, potentially modifying configuration files or disrupting file-based operations, resulting in integrity violations or service availability degradation. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – May 24, 2026
Path traversal in NousResearch hermes-agent through version 2026.4.16 allows remote unauthenticated attackers to bypass path restrictions and modify or disrupt file operations via the read_file tool. The flaw exists in the _is_blocked_device function within tools/file_tools.py. Public exploit code is available (EPSS data not provided, but exploit confirmed). Vendor was notified but did not respond, suggesting no official patch exists at time of analysis.
RemediationAI
No official vendor patch exists as NousResearch did not respond to vulnerability disclosure. Organizations must implement compensating controls: First, restrict network access to hermes-agent instances to trusted IP ranges only, preventing remote exploitation (trade-off: reduces agent accessibility for legitimate remote users). Second, implement application-level path validation by wrapping or modifying the read_file tool to enforce strict allowlists of permitted directories and reject any path containing traversal sequences like '../', './', or absolute paths (trade-off: may break legitimate use cases requiring broader file access). Third, run hermes-agent processes under least-privilege accounts with chroot jails or containerization to limit file system exposure even if path traversal succeeds (trade-off: increased deployment complexity). Fourth, monitor for suspicious file access patterns in application logs. Community forks or patches may emerge given the public exploit; monitor the GitHub repository at https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent for community-driven fixes. Consider migrating to alternative AI agent frameworks with active security maintenance if vendor responsiveness remains absent.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
The vulnerability stems from improper validation in the _is_blocked_device function of the file_tools.py module, which is part of the read_file tool component. This is a classic CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory) flaw. The function fails to adequately sanitize or validate file paths before processing, allowing attackers to use directory traversal sequences (e.g., '../') to access or manipulate files outside intended boundaries. The affected product is an AI agent framework (hermes-agent by NousResearch) that provides file system interaction capabilities, making path traversal particularly dangerous as it exposes the underlying system through the agent's file operations.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P
Primary rating from Vendor (VulDB) · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorVendor: VulDB
Lifecycle Timeline
1DescriptionCVE.org
A security flaw has been discovered in NousResearch hermes-agent up to 2026.4.16. This vulnerability affects the function _is_blocked_device of the file tools/file_tools.py of the component read_file Tool. Performing a manipulation results in path traversal. The attack may be initiated remotely. The exploit has been released to the public and may be used for attacks. The vendor was contacted early about this disclosure but did not respond in any way.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Path traversal exploits occur when applications use user-controlled input to construct file system paths without proper validation.
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EUVD-2026-31565
GHSA-hjf5-mqw9-9ph9
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB