MEDIUM CVSS 6.3
Published: 2026-06-23

CVE-2026-55249

rtkai rtk-rewrite Security Advisory (CVE-2026-55249)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2026-55249 impacting rtkai rtk-rewrite. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 6.3 (MEDIUM).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
@rtk-ai/rtk-rewrite transparently rewrites shell commands executed via OpenClaw's exec tool to their RTK equivalents. In 1.0.0, the @rtk-ai/rtk-rewrite OpenClaw plugin passes attacker-controlled input directly into a shell-backed execSync() template string without shell-safe escaping. JSON.stringify() wraps the value in double quotes and escapes inner double-quotes and backslashes, but leaves $() and backtick shell metacharacters untouched. Because execSync delegates execution to /bin/sh -c, the shell expands $(...) substitutions even inside double-quoted strings, causing the injected subcommand to execute before rtk is invoked. An attacker who can influence the exec tool's command parameter (e.g., via an LLM agent prompt or gateway/tool-call input) achieves arbitrary OS command execution with the privileges of the plugin/gateway process.

📊 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
Low (PR:L)
Standard user access required
User Interaction
Required (UI:R)
User must click or open resource
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
Low (I:L)
Partial data modification possible
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product rtkai / rtk-rewrite
Affected Versions 1.0.0
Weakness Enumeration CWE-78

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-2026-55249 impacting rtkai rtk-rewrite.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2026-55249.yaml
id: cve-2026-55249

info:
  name: rtkai rtk-rewrite - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: medium
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2026-55249 affecting rtkai rtk-rewrite.
    Evaluation: @rtk-ai/rtk-rewrite transparently rewrites shell commands executed via OpenClaw's exec tool to their RTK equivalents. In 1.0.0, the @rtk-ai/rtk-r...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2026-55249
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N
    cvss-score: 6.3
    cve-id: CVE-2026-55249
    cwe-id: CWE-78
  tags: cve,cve-2026-55249,rtkai,rtk-rewrite,medium

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "rtk-rewrite"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2026-55249.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2026-55249
# Target: rtkai rtk-rewrite | CVSS: 6.3 (MEDIUM)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2026-55249 (rtkai rtk-rewrite)...")
    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 rtkai rtk-rewrite scope (1.0.0).")
        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-2026-55249.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2026-55249
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install rtk-rewrite 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade rtk-rewrite 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update rtk-rewrite

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

# 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

Authorities
  • No records filed in this category.
Distributions
  • No records filed in this category.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2026-55249 in rtkai rtk-rewrite?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update rtkai rtk-rewrite 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-2026-55249?

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-2026-55249?

CVE-2026-55249 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 6.3 (MEDIUM). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
6.3
MEDIUM SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2026-55249
Weakness CWE-78
Vendor rtkai
Product rtk-rewrite
Published 2026-06-23
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N