CVE-2026-85654 in dynamodb-mcp-server
Summary
by MITRE • 09/04/2026
Improper neutralization of special elements used in a template engine in the CDK generator in Amazon awslabs.dynamodb-mcp-server before 2.1.6 might allow a context-dependent actor to execute arbitrary code on the host that deploys the generated application via crafted table, index, or attribute names in a data model file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2026
The vulnerability identified as improper neutralization of special elements used in a template engine within the CDK generator for Amazon awslabs.dynamodb-mcp-server prior to version 2.1.6 represents a critical server-side code injection risk. This flaw arises from insufficient sanitization or validation of user-supplied input when it is processed by the underlying templating mechanism during the generation of AWS Cloud Development Kit (CDK) infrastructure-as-code artifacts. The specific attack vector involves crafting malicious table names, index definitions, or attribute names within a data model file that serves as input to the generator. Because these inputs are directly interpolated into template files without adequate escaping or context-aware filtering, an attacker who can influence this input stream gains the ability to inject arbitrary code snippets that will be executed during the subsequent compilation and deployment phases of the CDK application.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-94, which describes Improper Control of Generation of Code (Code Injection). The core issue lies in the failure to distinguish between data intended for configuration and code intended for execution within the template engine's context. When the generator processes the data model file, it treats specific special characters or syntactic structures present in the crafted table or attribute names as executable commands rather than literal string values. This lack of strict input validation allows a context-dependent actor to break out of the expected parameter boundaries and inject logic that interacts with the host environment where the application is being deployed. The severity is heightened by the fact that CDK applications are typically compiled into AWS CloudFormation templates, which then provision actual cloud resources; therefore, code execution at this stage can lead to broader compromise of the infrastructure stack.
The operational impact of exploiting this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption or denial of service. An attacker who successfully leverages this flaw could achieve arbitrary command execution on the host machine responsible for deploying the generated application. This capability effectively bypasses standard access controls associated with the CDK tooling, granting the adversary a foothold within the development or deployment pipeline. Once code execution is achieved, the actor can escalate privileges, exfiltrate sensitive configuration data such as AWS credentials embedded in the environment, install persistent backdoors, or pivot to other systems within the network architecture dependent on that infrastructure. The risk is particularly acute in continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) environments where automated pipelines may run with elevated permissions to provision resources automatically based on code changes.
This vulnerability also maps to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically Command and Scripting Interpreter sub-techniques, as it involves the execution of system commands through injected script logic. Furthermore, it relates to CWE-78, Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command (OS Command Injection), depending on how the template engine translates the injected code into host-level operations during the synthesis or deployment process. The attack requires a context-dependent actor, meaning the threat is most relevant when untrusted input can be introduced into the data model files that drive the CDK generation process, such as through compromised source repositories, malicious pull requests, or insider threats with write access to configuration files.
Mitigation strategies must focus on strict input validation and secure coding practices within the template engine implementation. The primary remediation is upgrading to version 2.1.6 or later of awslabs.dynamodb-mcp-server, where this issue has been addressed by implementing robust sanitization routines that neutralize special characters before they reach the templating layer. In addition to patching, organizations should enforce strict code review processes for any changes to data model files and infrastructure-as-code configurations. Implementing static application security testing (SAST) tools configured to detect template injection patterns can help identify similar vulnerabilities in custom CDK constructs or related tooling. Furthermore, adopting the principle of least privilege for CI/CD runners ensures that even if an injection attempt succeeds, the potential blast radius is contained by restricting the permissions available to the deployment process. Regular auditing of dependencies and prompt application of security patches are essential components of a defense-in-depth strategy against such infrastructure-level attacks.