CVE-2026-73615 in Network-AI
Summary
by MITRE • 08/13/2026
Network-AI versions before 5.15.1 contain a security matcher bypass vulnerability where SandboxPolicy evaluates raw command strings with quotes preserved while the executor tokenizes commands by stripping quotes before execution. Attackers can craft quoted commands that evade blocklist checks and approval gates while the executor runs the identical unquoted dangerous argv.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/13/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical security mismatch in Network-AI versions prior to 5.15.1 where the sandbox policy enforcement mechanism fails to properly handle command string quoting during evaluation. The core technical flaw occurs when the security matcher processes raw command strings while preserving quote characters, but the underlying executor performs tokenization by stripping quotes before actual execution. This fundamental inconsistency creates a bypass opportunity where malicious actors can construct commands containing quoted arguments that appear benign to the security policy checker but execute with dangerous unquoted parameters during actual runtime.
The operational impact of this vulnerability spans multiple attack vectors within the network security ecosystem, particularly affecting systems that rely on command line argument validation and access control. According to CWE-787, this represents an out-of-bounds write condition where the security controls fail to properly validate input before processing, while the ATT&CK framework categorizes this under T1059.003 for command and scripting interpreter usage. The vulnerability enables attackers to bypass existing blocklists and approval gates that would normally prevent execution of dangerous commands, as demonstrated by the specific case where quoted commands evade detection while the identical unquoted arguments execute with elevated privileges.
The technical exploitation requires understanding that the security matcher operates on raw string representations maintaining quote characters, whereas the executor processes tokens after quote removal. This discrepancy allows attackers to craft payloads where the policy checker sees "command 'dangerous_arg'" but the actual execution runs "command dangerous_arg", effectively bypassing signature-based detection mechanisms. The vulnerability essentially creates a false positive scenario where security controls appear to function correctly while silently permitting malicious operations, making it particularly dangerous for environments relying on automated security enforcement.
Mitigation strategies must address the fundamental mismatch between policy evaluation and execution tokenization. Organizations should implement comprehensive input sanitization that normalizes command representations across all security layers, ensuring that both policy matchers and executors operate on identical parameter sets. The recommended approach includes enforcing consistent quote handling throughout the security stack, implementing additional validation layers that account for tokenization behavior, and deploying behavioral monitoring to detect anomalous command execution patterns that deviate from expected security policies. System administrators should also consider upgrading to Network-AI version 5.15.1 or later where this inconsistency has been resolved through proper synchronization of quote handling between security evaluation and command execution components.