CVE-2026-40287 MervinPraison CVE debrief

Who should care

Defenders responsible for PraisonAI deployments should assess exposure and prioritize upgrading to version 4.5.139 or later. They should also verify the integrity of the tools.py file and monitor for suspicious activity. Additionally, defenders should review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified.

Why it matters

CVE-2026-40287 is a high-severity vulnerability in PraisonAI that allows for arbitrary code execution, compromising the full PraisonAI process, the host system, and any connected data or credentials. Defenders responsible for PraisonAI deployments should assess exposure and prioritize upgrading to version 4.5.139 or later.

• Immediate arbitrary Python code execution in the host environment
• Compromise of the full PraisonAI process
• Potential compromise of connected data or credentials

Technical summary

The vulnerability is caused by the automatic, unsanitized import of a tools.py file from the current working directory in PraisonAI versions 4.5.138 and below. This allows an attacker to execute arbitrary Python code in the host environment by placing a malicious tools.py file in the directory where PraisonAI is launched. The vulnerability compromises the full PraisonAI process, the host system, and any connected data or credentials. Defenders should prioritize upgrading to version 4.5.139 or later and verifying the integrity of the tools.py file.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize upgrading to version 4.5.139 or later and verifying the integrity of the tools.py file.

Recommended defensive actions

• Upgrade to version 4.5.139 or later
• Verify the integrity of the tools.py file
• Monitor for suspicious activity
• Review compensating controls for exposed systems while remediation is scheduled and verified
• Check relevant monitoring, detection, and logs for exposed assets that need extra review
• Track exceptions, retest remediated assets, and close the item only after evidence is documented
• Confirm whether affected product deployments exist in managed environments and assign an owner for follow-up

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD vulnerability detail provide information on the vulnerability, its impact, and the fixed version. The vulnerability allows for arbitrary code execution through the unsanitized import of a tools.py file from the current working directory in PraisonAI versions 4.5.138 and below. Defenders should verify the integrity of the tools.py file and monitor for suspicious activity. The CVE record was published on 2026-04-14T04:17:11.977Z and has not been modified since then. Additional details can be found in the official

Sources and references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.