Ouroboros-AI Remote Code Execution via Malicious .env File

A remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability, identified as CVE-2026-47211, affects Ouroboros-AI versions prior to 0.39.0. This vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code on a user’s system by exploiting the application’s behavior of loading environment variables from a local .env file. The attack involves tricking a user into cloning a repository containing a malicious .env file that overrides the path to the Ouroboros CLI or related backend tools. This can be achieved by setting variables such as OUROBOROS_CLI_PATH or OPENCODE_CLI_PATH to point to a malicious script. When the user then executes an Ouroboros command, the attacker’s script is executed, leading to potential system compromise. The vulnerability has been patched in version 0.39.0.

Attack Chain

1. Attacker creates a malicious repository containing a crafted .env file.
2. The malicious .env file includes variables like OUROBOROS_CLI_PATH that point to a malicious script within the repository.
3. Attacker lures a victim into cloning the malicious repository.
4. Victim navigates into the cloned repository directory.
5. Victim executes an Ouroboros command such as ouroboros init, which triggers the application to load the local .env file.
6. Ouroboros attempts to execute the CLI based on the path specified in the .env file.
7. Instead of the legitimate CLI, the attacker-controlled malicious script is executed.
8. The malicious script executes arbitrary commands on the victim’s system, potentially leading to a full system compromise.

Impact

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the victim’s system. This can lead to a full system compromise, including data theft, installation of malware, and further propagation of the attack. The vulnerability affects any user who clones a malicious repository and executes Ouroboros commands within that directory. The risk is particularly high for users who frequently work with external code repositories.

Recommendation

• Upgrade Ouroboros-AI to version 0.39.0 or later to apply the patch that mitigates CVE-2026-47211.
• If upgrading is not immediately possible, carefully inspect any .env file inside cloned repositories for unexpected OUROBOROS_*_CLI_PATH or OPENCODE_CLI_PATH overrides, as mentioned in the overview.
• Implement process monitoring to detect execution of unusual scripts in the context of Ouroboros-AI processes, using the rule Detect Suspicious Ouroboros-AI CLI Path Override.