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criticalRemote Code Execpublic exploit

CVE-2026-13745

CVE-2026-13745 — Arbitrary Code Execution in Gemini CLI via Symlinked Environment Variables

A vulnerability in the Gemini CLI and associated GitHub Action allowed an unprivileged attacker to achieve an arbitrary code execution in Gemini CLI via untrusted local .env files overriding GEMINI_CLI_HOME.

Published Updated Sources: NVD, Google Cloud (CNA), GitHub, GitHub Security Advisory, SOCRadar CTI

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the scoring sources call it.

Exploitation

Exploit code

public exploit, none observed

EPSS

0%

ahead of 0% of scored CVEs

Affects

Google Cloud

2 products listed

CVSS base

9.2

critical

Remediation

The vendor's own words where we have them.

* Upgrade: Ensure you are using the latest version of gemini cli and follow the best practices guide https://github.com/google-github-actions/run-gemini-cli/blob/main/docs/trust-guidance.md * Configure Trust: Determine if your CI workflow operates on trusted or untrusted data. If the data is fully trusted, set GEMINI_TRUST_WORKSPACE: 'true' in your workflow.

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record's own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found.

  • Identify exposed assets running affected vendor/product/version combinations.
  • Prioritize based on EPSS, PoC availability, and external exposure.
  • Search available logs for exploit probes, errors, authentication anomalies, or suspicious child processes matching the vulnerability class.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and version as the advisories word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatus
Google CloudGemini CLI0 to < 0.39.1Vulnerable
Google Cloudrun-gemini-cli GitHub Action0 to < 0.1.22Vulnerable

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack Complexity

High

Attack Vector

Network

Privileges Req

None

User Interaction

None

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactSource
9.2CVSS 4.0criticalGoogle Cloud (CNA)

CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:H/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:L/SI:L/SA:L/U:Amber

What this weakness leads to

MITRE's own consequences and mitigations for the weakness class — the authority's wording, not guidance derived from the CVSS vector.

MITRE

CWE-78 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')

  • Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
  • DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
  • Read Files or Directories
  • Modify Files or Directories

Mitigation: If at all possible, use library calls rather than external processes to recreate the desired functionality.

CWE-20 · Improper Input Validation

  • DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
  • DoS: Resource Consumption (CPU)
  • DoS: Resource Consumption (Memory)
  • Read Memory

Mitigation: Consider using language-theoretic security (LangSec) techniques that characterize inputs using a formal language and build recognizers for that language. This effectively requires parsing to be a distinct layer that effectively enforces a boundary between raw input and internal data representations, instead of allowing parser code to be scattered throughout the program, where it could be subject to errors or inconsistencies that create weaknesses. [REF-1109] [REF-1110] [REF-1111]

Weakness & attack patterns

  • CWE-20Improper Input Validation
  • CWE-78OS Command Injection

Attack patterns reported against this CVE. The ATT&CK techniques below are inferred from its weakness class.

CAPEC-67 · String Format Overflow in syslog()CAPEC-261 · Fuzzing for garnering other adjacent user/sensitive dataCAPEC-182 · Flash InjectionCAPEC-267 · Leverage Alternate EncodingCAPEC-71 · Using Unicode Encoding to Bypass Validation LogicCAPEC-46 · Overflow Variables and TagsCAPEC-83 · XPath InjectionCAPEC-22 · Exploiting Trust in ClientCAPEC-3 · Using Leading 'Ghost' Character Sequences to Bypass Input FiltersCAPEC-13 · Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-8 · Buffer Overflow in an API CallCAPEC-250 · XML Injection
  • T1562.003Impair Defenses: Impair Command History Logging
  • T1574.006Hijack Execution Flow: Dynamic Linker Hijacking
  • T1574.007Hijack Execution Flow: Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable

Public exploit

Capability, not use: code existing is a different claim from anyone running it.

Repositories

3

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not rules we have tested.

  • Prioritize edge telemetry for network-reachable Gemini CLI, run-gemini-cli GitHub Action.
  • Monitor for scanner or exploit-pattern traffic after 3 public PoC repositories were reported.
web/proxy/WAF logsapplication logsnetwork IDS/IPSEDR process telemetryhost service logs

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first — with the readings a source repeats on a schedule counted underneath rather than listed.

  1. 2026
  2. Added · CVSS 3.1 9.2 (AV:N)

    Sep 10, 2026 · NVD

  3. Initial · CVE published

    Sep 10, 2026 · NVD

  4. Added · GHSA-2255-3477-vp73 published (critical)

    Sep 10, 2026 · GitHub Security Advisory

  5. CVE published by MITRE.

    Sep 10, 2026 · SOCRadar CTI

References

4 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

  • No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
  • No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
  • No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record1

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2026-13745 is Arbitrary Code Execution in Gemini CLI via Symlinked Environment Variables, a critical vulnerability affecting Gemini CLI, run-gemini-cli GitHub Action from Google Cloud. The current evidence does not list it in CISA KEV, and the exploit status is: Active exploitation is not confirmed from current sources for CVE-2026-13745. Public exploit evidence is: 3 public PoC repositories reported; 0 marked weaponized in current dataset. The affected-version evidence is listed in the key facts and affected products tables. Defenders should first verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run those versions, then apply vendor patches or mitigations, restrict reachable attack surface, and preserve logs for detection review. CVSS 9.2 describes technical severity, while EPSS 0% helps estimate near-term exploit likelihood; neither replaces asset context. Unknown fields should remain explicit in tickets, and threat actor, IOC, victimology, or payload claims should not be added unless a cited source supports them. Monitor CISA KEV, vendor advisories, NVD changes, public PoC repositories, and internal telemetry for update triggers.