GHSA-GQQJ-85QM-8QHF
Vulnerability from github – Published: 2026-04-16 22:47 – Updated: 2026-04-16 22:47Summary
A Paperclip-managed codex_local runtime was able to access and use a Gmail connector that I had connected in the ChatGPT/OpenAI apps UI, even though I had not explicitly connected Gmail inside Paperclip or separately inside Codex.
In my environment this enabled mailbox access and a real outbound email to be sent from my Gmail account. After I manually intervened to stop the workflow, follow-up retraction messages were also sent, confirming repeated outward write/send capability.
This appears to be a trust-boundary failure between Paperclip-managed Codex execution and inherited OpenAI app connectors, amplified by dangerous-by-default runtime settings.
Details
Successful runtime calls include:
mcp__codex_apps__gmail_get_profilemcp__codex_apps__gmail_search_emailsmcp__codex_apps__gmail_send_email
The connected Gmail profile resolved to my personal account.
Inside the Paperclip-managed codex-home, I also found cached OpenAI curated connector state for Gmail under a path like:
codex-home/plugins/cache/openai-curated/gmail/.../.app.json
This strongly suggests that the runtime had access to an already connected OpenAI apps surface rather than a Paperclip-specific Gmail integration that I intentionally configured.
Separately, in the installed Paperclip code, codex_local defaults dangerouslyBypassApprovalsAndSandbox to true, and the server-side agent creation path applies that default when the flag is omitted. In practice, that makes this boundary failure much more dangerous because a newly created codex_local agent can operate with approvals and sandbox bypassed by default.
The key issue is this: I had connected Gmail only in the ChatGPT/OpenAI apps UI. I had not intentionally connected Gmail inside Paperclip or separately inside Codex. Despite that, the Paperclip-managed codex_local runtime was able to use Gmail read/write actions.
PoC
Environment:
- self-hosted Paperclip instance using
codex_local - Gmail connected in the ChatGPT/OpenAI apps UI
- no explicit Gmail connection configured inside Paperclip for this test
codex_localagent created and run with default behavior
Observed reproduction path:
- Connect Gmail in the ChatGPT/OpenAI apps UI.
- Create or run a Paperclip
codex_localagent. - Execute a task that inspects mailbox state or performs outward communication.
- Observe successful Gmail connector calls such as:
mcp__codex_apps__gmail_get_profilemcp__codex_apps__gmail_search_emailsmcp__codex_apps__gmail_send_email- Observe that the connected profile resolves to the ChatGPT/OpenAI-connected Gmail account and that mailbox reads and real sends are possible.
Private evidence available on request:
- successful
get_profile/search/sendlogs - Paperclip-managed
codex-homeGmail connector cache path(s) - screenshot showing Gmail write-capable actions such as
send_email,send_draft, andupdate_draftexposed in the connected-app UI - incident timeline showing that a real outbound email was sent
- recipient organizations, timestamps, message IDs, and sanitized evidence for both the original outbound email and the subsequent retraction messages
Impact
This was not only theoretical in my environment. It resulted in:
- mailbox identity disclosure
- mailbox search / thread access
- a real outbound email being sent from a personal connected Gmail account to an external third party
- follow-up retraction messages being sent after manual intervention, confirming repeated outward write/send capability
From an operator/security perspective, connecting Gmail in the ChatGPT/OpenAI apps UI should not automatically make that connector available to a Paperclip-managed local agent runtime, especially not for write/send actions.
One or more of the following:
- no inherited OpenAI app connectors by default in Paperclip-managed
codex_localruns - send/write connectors blocked by default
- explicit Paperclip-side opt-in before outward actions
- auditable approval and provenance for connector-mediated actions
- safer defaults, including
dangerouslyBypassApprovalsAndSandbox = false
{
"affected": [
{
"package": {
"ecosystem": "npm",
"name": "paperclipai"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"last_affected": "2026.403.0"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
]
}
],
"aliases": [],
"database_specific": {
"cwe_ids": [
"CWE-284"
],
"github_reviewed": true,
"github_reviewed_at": "2026-04-16T22:47:40Z",
"nvd_published_at": null,
"severity": "HIGH"
},
"details": "### Summary\n\nA Paperclip-managed `codex_local` runtime was able to access and use a Gmail connector that I had connected in the ChatGPT/OpenAI apps UI, even though I had not explicitly connected Gmail inside Paperclip or separately inside Codex.\n\nIn my environment this enabled mailbox access and a real outbound email to be sent from my Gmail account. After I manually intervened to stop the workflow, follow-up retraction messages were also sent, confirming repeated outward write/send capability.\n\nThis appears to be a trust-boundary failure between Paperclip-managed Codex execution and inherited OpenAI app connectors, amplified by dangerous-by-default runtime settings.\n\n### Details\n\nSuccessful runtime calls include:\n\n- `mcp__codex_apps__gmail_get_profile`\n- `mcp__codex_apps__gmail_search_emails`\n- `mcp__codex_apps__gmail_send_email`\n\nThe connected Gmail profile resolved to my personal account.\n\nInside the Paperclip-managed `codex-home`, I also found cached OpenAI curated connector state for Gmail under a path like:\n\n- `codex-home/plugins/cache/openai-curated/gmail/.../.app.json`\n\nThis strongly suggests that the runtime had access to an already connected OpenAI apps surface rather than a Paperclip-specific Gmail integration that I intentionally configured.\n\nSeparately, in the installed Paperclip code, `codex_local` defaults `dangerouslyBypassApprovalsAndSandbox` to `true`, and the server-side agent creation path applies that default when the flag is omitted. In practice, that makes this boundary failure much more dangerous because a newly created `codex_local` agent can operate with approvals and sandbox bypassed by default.\n\nThe key issue is this: I had connected Gmail only in the ChatGPT/OpenAI apps UI. I had not intentionally connected Gmail inside Paperclip or separately inside Codex. Despite that, the Paperclip-managed `codex_local` runtime was able to use Gmail read/write actions.\n\n### PoC\n\nEnvironment:\n\n- self-hosted Paperclip instance using `codex_local`\n- Gmail connected in the ChatGPT/OpenAI apps UI\n- no explicit Gmail connection configured inside Paperclip for this test\n- `codex_local` agent created and run with default behavior\n\nObserved reproduction path:\n\n1. Connect Gmail in the ChatGPT/OpenAI apps UI.\n2. Create or run a Paperclip `codex_local` agent.\n3. Execute a task that inspects mailbox state or performs outward communication.\n4. Observe successful Gmail connector calls such as:\n - `mcp__codex_apps__gmail_get_profile`\n - `mcp__codex_apps__gmail_search_emails`\n - `mcp__codex_apps__gmail_send_email`\n5. Observe that the connected profile resolves to the ChatGPT/OpenAI-connected Gmail account and that mailbox reads and real sends are possible.\n\nPrivate evidence available on request:\n\n- successful `get_profile` / `search` / `send` logs\n- Paperclip-managed `codex-home` Gmail connector cache path(s)\n- screenshot showing Gmail write-capable actions such as `send_email`, `send_draft`, and `update_draft` exposed in the connected-app UI\n- incident timeline showing that a real outbound email was sent\n- recipient organizations, timestamps, message IDs, and sanitized evidence for both the original outbound email and the subsequent retraction messages\n\n### Impact\n\nThis was not only theoretical in my environment. It resulted in:\n\n- mailbox identity disclosure\n- mailbox search / thread access\n- a real outbound email being sent from a personal connected Gmail account to an external third party\n- follow-up retraction messages being sent after manual intervention, confirming repeated outward write/send capability\n\nFrom an operator/security perspective, connecting Gmail in the ChatGPT/OpenAI apps UI should not automatically make that connector available to a Paperclip-managed local agent runtime, especially not for write/send actions.\n\nOne or more of the following:\n\n- no inherited OpenAI app connectors by default in Paperclip-managed `codex_local` runs\n- send/write connectors blocked by default\n- explicit Paperclip-side opt-in before outward actions\n- auditable approval and provenance for connector-mediated actions\n- safer defaults, including `dangerouslyBypassApprovalsAndSandbox = false`",
"id": "GHSA-gqqj-85qm-8qhf",
"modified": "2026-04-16T22:47:40Z",
"published": "2026-04-16T22:47:40Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "WEB",
"url": "https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip/security/advisories/GHSA-gqqj-85qm-8qhf"
},
{
"type": "PACKAGE",
"url": "https://github.com/paperclipai/paperclip"
}
],
"schema_version": "1.4.0",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
}
],
"summary": "Paperclip: codex_local inherited ChatGPT/OpenAI-connected Gmail and was able to send real email"
}
Sightings
| Author | Source | Type | Date |
|---|
Nomenclature
- Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
- Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
- Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
- Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
- Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
- Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.