CVE-2026-104308 in Langflow OSS
Summary
by MITRE • 10/29/2026
IBM Langflow OSS 1.0.0 through 1.12.3 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to cause a denial of service due to improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/29/2026
The vulnerability identified within IBM Langflow versions 1.0.0 through 1.12.3 represents a critical security flaw rooted in the failure to properly sanitize user-supplied input before its inclusion in operating system commands. This class of defect, commonly categorized under CWE-78 as Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command or OS Command Injection, allows for the execution of arbitrary shell commands on the host system where the application is deployed. The core technical issue arises from a lack of rigorous input validation and escaping mechanisms when constructing command strings that are subsequently passed to the underlying operating system's interpreter. In many modern web applications and development tools like Langflow, which facilitate the construction of AI workflows, there is often an implicit trust in user inputs or configuration parameters. When these inputs contain special shell metacharacters such as semicolons, pipes, ampersands, or backticks without proper sanitization, they can alter the intended structure of the command line. This enables a remote authenticated attacker to inject malicious payloads that are executed with the privileges of the application process.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Because Langflow typically runs as part of an AI development or deployment pipeline, it often operates with elevated permissions necessary to access local resources, databases, or network services required for model inference and data processing. An attacker who successfully exploits this command injection flaw can achieve remote code execution on the affected server. This compromises not only the integrity of the Langflow application itself but also extends to the broader infrastructure hosting it. The attacker could potentially exfiltrate sensitive data stored in local databases, modify or delete critical configuration files, install backdoors for persistent access, or pivot further into other parts of the internal network. In a cloud-native environment, this could lead to the compromise of containerized workloads and subsequent lateral movement across the cluster.
From an industry standard perspective, this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, specifically sub-techniques involving shell commands such as sh or bash. The attack vector leverages the application's own functionality to execute system-level operations, bypassing traditional network-based security controls that might otherwise restrict direct access to the command line interface. The requirement for authentication does not mitigate the risk; rather, it defines the scope of potential attackers who can exploit this flaw. Any user with valid credentials within the Langflow environment possesses the capability to trigger these malicious commands, making internal threat actors or compromised accounts significant vectors for exploitation.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term defensive posture improvements. The primary corrective action is to upgrade IBM Langflow to a version later than 1.12.3 where this vulnerability has been patched by the vendor through improved input validation and safe command construction practices. For environments where upgrading is not immediately feasible, temporary mitigations should include implementing strict allow-listing of inputs at the application layer, ensuring that only expected character sets are accepted for parameters involved in system calls. Additionally, deploying Web Application Firewalls with specific rules to detect common OS injection patterns can provide a layer of defense-in-depth. It is also critical to enforce principle of least privilege by running Langflow processes under restricted user accounts with minimal permissions, thereby limiting the potential damage if an exploitation attempt succeeds. Regular security audits and static code analysis focused on command execution functions are recommended to prevent similar vulnerabilities in future development cycles.