---
title: "CVE-2025-61260: OpenAI Codex CLI enables code execution through malicious MCP (Model Context Protocol) configuration files"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2025-61260/
description: "CVE-2025-61260 (@openai/codex (npm)): A vulnerability was identified in OpenAI Codex CLI v0.23.0 and before that enables code execution through malicious…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-04-14
date_modified: 2026-07-05
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2025-61260"
kev: false
cvss: 9.8
epss: 0.06583
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2025-61260: OpenAI Codex CLI enables code execution through malicious MCP (Model Context Protocol) configuration files

**Signal:** Critical and remotely reachable. No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Not in CISA KEV , but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
- EPSS 6.6% , percentile 94: FIRST’s model estimates a 6.6% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 94% of all scored CVEs (elevated). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes @openai/codex (npm) <= 0.23.0, no fixed version listed . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

A vulnerability was identified in OpenAI Codex CLI v0.23.0 and before that enables code execution through malicious MCP (Model Context Protocol) configuration files. The attack is triggered when a user runs the codex command inside a malicious or compromised repository. Codex automatically loads project-local .env and .codex/config.toml files without requiring user confirmation, allowing attackers to embed arbitrary commands that execute immediately.

## Affected packages

- npm `@openai/codex` <= 0.23.0 → fixed: none listed

## Affected products (CVE record)

- n/a n/a: see advisory

## Severity

- CISA-ADP CVSS 3.1: 9.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 9.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc , automatable yes , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 6.58% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 94.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-xrxf-jgv3-qmrm](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-xrxf-jgv3-qmrm)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2025-61260](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-61260)
- [NVD entry CVE-2025-61260](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-61260)
- [research.checkpoint.com](https://research.checkpoint.com/2025/openai-codex-cli-command-injection-vulnerability/)
- [openai.com](http://openai.com)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2025-61260/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt