Decepticon: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component
CVE-2026-61732 is a critical-severity improper neutralization of special elements in output used by a downstream component vulnerability in Decepticon from BitterSecurity, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 10.0 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Decepticon versions: < 1.1.17. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.47% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 74% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of Decepticon you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on github.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| BitterSecurity | Decepticon | < 1.1.17 | Not stated |
| BitterSecurity | decepticon-core | < 1.1.17 | Not stated |
| BitterSecurity | decepticon-sdk | < 1.1.17 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (github.com).
Official description
Decepticon is an autonomous hacking agent for red teams. Versions prior to 1.1.17 wrap web crawl results — the output of agent reconnaissance against target services — into LLM messages without neutralizing ChatML special-token literals. Under the BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) deployment model, users configure their own LLM credentials to any OpenAI-compatible endpoint. Most open-source and self-deployed model providers (vLLM, SGLang, Ollama, LM Studio, text-generation-webui, etc.) do not filter special-token literals from user content in their default configurations. Those literals are parsed into structural role-boundary token IDs, meaning an attacker string planted in a target web page forges a new operator turn the model treats as authoritative, bypassing Decepticon's agent guardrails and resulting in arbitrary command execution inside the Kali Linux sandbox. Version 1.1.17 patches the issue.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component
The product constructs all or part of a command, data structure, or record using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify how it is parsed or interpreted when it is sent to a downstream component.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Programming languages and supporting technologies might be chosen which are not subject to these issues.
- Utilize an appropriate mix of allowlist and denylist parsing to filter control-plane syntax from all input.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component vulnerabilities
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
Spotted an error? Tell us.