CVE-2026-9198: IBM Langflow Code Injection Vulnerability
Langflow contains a code injection vulnerability that allows unauthenticated attackers to achieve full remote code execution on default Langflow deployments.
Overview
IBM Langflow OSS 1.0.0 through 1.10.0 allows unauthenticated attackers to chain /api/v1/auto_login (mints SUPERUSER tokens to any network caller) with /api/v1/validate/code (executes user code via exec()) to achieve full RCE on default Langflow deployments
Vulnerability details
CVE-2026-9198 is a code injection vulnerability (CWE-94) in IBM Langflow OSS versions 1.0.0 through 1.10.0. The flaw exists because the /api/v1/validate/code endpoint passes attacker-supplied Python code directly to exec(), evaluating decorators, default argument expressions, and annotations at function definition time. On default deployments, the auto-login feature is enabled, which means a companion endpoint issues SUPERUSER bearer tokens to any network caller without authentication. Together, these two design failures create a fully unauthenticated path to arbitrary code execution.
An attacker sends two crafted HTTP requests in sequence. The first targets /api/v1/auto_login, which returns a SUPERUSER bearer token to any caller without requiring credentials. The attacker then submits a second request to /api/v1/validate/code, presenting that token and carrying arbitrary Python code embedded in decorators or default argument expressions. The server passes this code to exec(), executing it with the privileges of the Langflow process. The result is full remote code execution: complete compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the host. No authentication, user interaction, or local access is required on default deployments.
Severity and impact
Exploitation status
This vulnerability is confirmed as actively exploited in the wild — it is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.
Detection and monitoring
- Monitor HTTP access logs for sequential requests to /api/v1/auto_login followed by /api/v1/validate/code from the same source IP, particularly where no prior authenticated session exists for that caller.
- Alert on any POST to /api/v1/validate/code that carries a bearer token issued within seconds by /api/v1/auto_login, especially from external or unexpected source addresses outside your known client population.
- Audit whether the Langflow auto-login feature is active and whether /api/v1/auto_login is reachable from untrusted networks; a positive result on both confirms the precondition for exploitation is met.
Remediation
Additional hardening
- Block network access to /api/v1/auto_login and /api/v1/validate/code at the perimeter or reverse proxy for all sources outside explicitly trusted administrative networks.
- Disable the auto-login feature in Langflow configuration if the patched version cannot be deployed immediately, removing the unauthenticated token-issuance precondition.
- Run the Langflow process under a dedicated low-privilege service account to limit the blast radius of any successful code execution to that account's permissions.
- Place Langflow instances behind a network segment that restricts inbound API access to authenticated, known clients rather than exposing the API surface to the open internet.
Key dates
References
Frequently asked questions
Does CVE-2026-9198 affect my FedRAMP authorization?
If IBM Langflow runs inside your authorization boundary, yes — CVE-2026-9198 affects your FedRAMP authorization. CISA has listed this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a remediation deadline of August 7, 2026. An unpatched KEV inside your boundary is an assessor finding. You either remediate it before that date or formally document a mitigation — waiting for your agency or assessor to raise it is not a viable posture.
How does Knox help me handle CVE-2026-9198?
Knox does not patch your software. Remediating IBM Langflow is your responsibility under the FedRAMP shared-responsibility model. What Knox provides is the pre-authorized, single-tenant boundary to remediate within, plus continuous compliance monitoring and audit-artifact coverage that document the fix for your next assessment. The work of applying the patch is yours; maintaining a compliant posture while you do it is not something you have to manage alone.
How does Knox's monitoring help with vulnerabilities like this?
Knox's automated continuous monitoring platform watches your environment for newly disclosed vulnerabilities and compliance issues, including CVE-2026-9198. Exposure surfaces during ongoing monitoring rather than only when an assessor flags it at review time, giving you the lead time to act before a finding becomes a formal conversation with your agency.
How do I get FedRAMP authorized with Knox?
Book a meeting with Knox and map your path to authorization. Knox delivers FedRAMP in 90 days for 90% less, without the delays or dependencies of a traditional authorization build.
What happens if CVE-2026-9198 isn't remediated by August 7, 2026?
If CVE-2026-9198 is not remediated by August 7, 2026, it becomes a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M) item. A growing POA&M list is precisely what turns a routine continuous-monitoring review into a difficult conversation with your sponsoring agency. Meeting the deadline keeps your authorization clean and the agency relationship intact.
Ready to achieve FedRAMP authorization in 90 days or less?
Schedule a meeting to discuss scope, parse readiness, and map your company’s accelerated path to FedRAMP authorization.
_Horizontal_RGB.png)
