---
title: "CVE-2026-45311: DeepSeek TUI: run_tests Tool Enables RCE via Malicious Repository Without Approval"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-45311/
description: "CVE-2026-45311 (deepseek-tui (crates.io (Rust))): CodeWhale is a DeepSeek + MiMo coding agent in terminal. From 0.3.0 to 0.8.23, the runtests tool executes…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2026-05-28
date_modified: 2026-06-09
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2026-45311"
kev: false
cvss: 9.6
epss: 0.00685
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2026-45311: DeepSeek TUI: run_tests Tool Enables RCE via Malicious Repository Without Approval

**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 0.7% , percentile 52: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.7% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 52% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs a user to click or open something. Phishing makes that realistic, but it is not wormable.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes deepseek-tui (crates.io (Rust)) >= 0.3.0, < 0.8.23, fixed in 0.8.23 ; deepseek-tui-cli (crates.io (Rust)) >= 0.3.0, < 0.8.23, fixed in 0.8.23 ; deepseek-tui (npm) >= 0.3.0, < 0.8.23, fixed in 0.8.23 . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

CodeWhale is a DeepSeek + MiMo coding agent in terminal. From 0.3.0 to 0.8.23, the runtests tool executes cargo test in the workspace with ApprovalRequirement::Auto, meaning it runs without any user approval prompt. cargo test compiles and executes arbitrary code: test binaries, build.rs build scripts, and proc macros. While auto-approving test execution is a deliberate design choice, it creates an inconsistency in the security boundary. However, in a malicious repository, test code can execute arbitrary shell commands, exfiltrate credentials, or establish persistence with zero approval. The attack is amplified by AGENTS.md (auto-loaded into the system prompt), which can instruct the model to run tests proactively at session start. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.8.23.

## Affected packages

- crates.io (Rust) `deepseek-tui` >= 0.3.0, < 0.8.23 → fixed: 0.8.23
- crates.io (Rust) `deepseek-tui-cli` >= 0.3.0, < 0.8.23 → fixed: 0.8.23
- npm `deepseek-tui` >= 0.3.0, < 0.8.23 → fixed: 0.8.23

## Affected products (CVE record)

- Hmbown CodeWhale: >= 0.3.0, < 0.8.23

## Severity

- GitHub_M CVSS 3.1: 9.6 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 9.6 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/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 no , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.69% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 52.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-wx44-2q6h-j6p8](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-wx44-2q6h-j6p8)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2026-45311](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-45311)
- [NVD entry CVE-2026-45311](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-45311)
- [github.com](https://github.com/Hmbown/CodeWhale/security/advisories/GHSA-wx44-2q6h-j6p8)
- [github.com](https://github.com/Hmbown/DeepSeek-TUI/security/advisories/GHSA-wx44-2q6h-j6p8)
- [github.com](https://github.com/Hmbown/DeepSeek-TUI/releases/tag/v0.8.23)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2026-45311/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt