CRITICAL CVSS 9.8
Published: 2026-03-31

CVE-2026-34041

nektos act Security Advisory (CVE-2026-34041)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2026-34041 impacting nektos act. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
act is a project which allows for local running of github actions. Prior to version 0.2.86, act unconditionally processes the deprecated ::set-env:: and ::add-path:: workflow commands, which was disabled due to environment injection risks. When a workflow step echoes untrusted data to stdout, an attacker can inject these commands to set arbitrary environment variables or modify the PATH for all subsequent steps in the job. This issue has been patched in version 0.2.86.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product nektos / act
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-74

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2026-34041 impacting nektos act.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2026-34041.yaml
id: cve-2026-34041

info:
  name: nektos act - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: critical
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2026-34041 affecting nektos act.
    Evaluation: act is a project which allows for local running of github actions. Prior to version 0.2.86, act unconditionally processes the deprecated ::set-env:: a...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2026-34041
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.8
    cve-id: CVE-2026-34041
    cwe-id: CWE-74
  tags: cve,cve-2026-34041,nektos,act,critical

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "act"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2026-34041.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2026-34041
# Target: nektos act | CVSS: 9.8 (CRITICAL)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2026-34041 (nektos act)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against nektos act scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2026-34041.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2026-34041
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install act 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade act 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update act

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i act 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i act

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

🔗 Verified Technical References

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2026-34041 in nektos act?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update nektos act packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2026-34041?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2026-34041?

CVE-2026-34041 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 9.8 (CRITICAL). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
9.8
CRITICAL SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2026-34041
Weakness CWE-74
Vendor nektos
Product act
Published 2026-03-31
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H