PraisonAI `deploy --type api` emits a Flask server with authentication disabled by default
Summary
CVE-2026-44338 (GHSA-6rmh-7xcm-cpxj) documents that PraisonAI ships a code-generator (praisonai.deploy.api.generate_api_server_code) that emits a Flask API server with authentication disabled by default. Users who follow the documented quickstart (praisonai deploy --type api) get a server that:
- binds to
0.0.0.0per the recommended sample YAML - exposes
/chatand/agentsendpoints - runs
praisonai.run()on user-supplied JSON input — LLM orchestration with the API key materials present in the process environment - does not require any authentication
The PyPI wheel praisonai==4.6.33 (current @latest) still ships the generator with auth_enabled defaulting to False. The fix shape is opt-in via APIConfig(auth_enabled=True, auth_token=...).
Details
Anchor (file:line:symbol)
- Vulnerable artifact:
praisonai==4.6.33on PyPI. - Defaults:
praisonai/deploy/models.py:29—auth_enabled: bool = Field(default=False, ...);praisonai/deploy/models.py:30—auth_token: Optional[str] = Field(default=None, ...). - Generator:
praisonai/deploy/api.py:40—AUTH_ENABLED = {config.auth_enabled};api.py:41—AUTH_TOKEN = {repr(config.auth_token)};api.py:43-49—def check_auth(): if not AUTH_ENABLED: return True. - CLI entry: documented as
praisonai deploy --type api(vendor README); produces the generator output above with no flag required to suppress the warning, because no warning is emitted.
Vulnerable code (verbatim from installed wheel)
# praisonai/deploy/models.py (praisonai==4.6.33)
class APIConfig(BaseModel):
host: str = Field(default="127.0.0.1", description="Server host")
port: int = Field(default=8005, description="Server port")
cors_enabled: bool = Field(default=True, description="Enable CORS")
auth_enabled: bool = Field(default=False, description="Enable authentication") # line 29
auth_token: Optional[str] = Field(default=None, description="Authentication token") # line 30
# praisonai/deploy/api.py (praisonai==4.6.33)
code = f\'\'\'...
# Authentication
AUTH_ENABLED = {config.auth_enabled} # False by default
AUTH_TOKEN = {repr(config.auth_token)} # None by default
def check_auth():
if not AUTH_ENABLED:
return True # short-circuit, accept all
token = request.headers.get(\'Authorization\', \'\').replace(\'Bearer \', \'\')
return token == AUTH_TOKEN
...
\'\'\'
A default invocation of the deploy command emits a server whose check_auth() short-circuits to True and accepts unauthenticated /chat, /agents POSTs.
PoC
#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
legend-c420 PoC - PraisonAI 4.6.33 generates Flask API server with auth
disabled by default. Class H sibling of CVE-2026-44338.
Phase 1: reflect on praisonai.deploy.models.APIConfig defaults.
Phase 2: call generate_api_server_code(default config) and assert the
emitted source contains AUTH_ENABLED = False and the
short-circuit return.
Phase 3: re-run with auth_enabled=True, auth_token='s3cret-bearer-value'
and confirm the emitted source flips to the secure shape.
Exit code 0 = PASS = vulnerable defaults confirmed.
"""
import sys, traceback
def phase1_dataclass_defaults():
print("PHASE 1 - praisonai.deploy.models.APIConfig default values")
from praisonai.deploy.models import APIConfig
cfg = APIConfig()
checks = [
("auth_enabled", cfg.auth_enabled, False),
("auth_token", cfg.auth_token, None),
]
for name, observed, expected in checks:
ok = observed == expected
mark = "VULNERABLE" if name in ("auth_enabled","auth_token") and ok else "ok"
print(f" {name:14s} = {observed!r:18s} (expected {expected!r}) [{mark}]")
assert ok
print(" >> APIConfig defaults reproduce the CVE-2026-44338 shape.")
def phase2_default_generator_emits_unauth():
print("PHASE 2 - generate_api_server_code(default config) emits unauth server")
from praisonai.deploy.models import APIConfig
from praisonai.deploy.api import generate_api_server_code
src = generate_api_server_code("agents.yaml", config=APIConfig())
for needle in ["AUTH_ENABLED = False","AUTH_TOKEN = None","if not AUTH_ENABLED:","return True"]:
assert needle in src, f"missing: {needle!r}"
print(f" [FOUND] {needle!r}")
print(" >> Default-config generator emits Flask server with check_auth() short-circuit.")
def phase3_fix_shape_available():
print("PHASE 3 - auth_enabled=True flips to secure shape")
from praisonai.deploy.models import APIConfig
from praisonai.deploy.api import generate_api_server_code
cfg = APIConfig(auth_enabled=True, auth_token="s3cret-bearer-value")
src = generate_api_server_code("agents.yaml", config=cfg)
assert "AUTH_ENABLED = True" in src
assert "AUTH_ENABLED = False" not in src
print(" >> Fix shape works when toggled. Class H confirmed: default is insecure.")
def main():
print("=" * 64)
print("legend-c420 PoC - PraisonAI default-config AUTH_ENABLED=False")
print("=" * 64)
try:
phase1_dataclass_defaults()
phase2_default_generator_emits_unauth()
phase3_fix_shape_available()
except Exception:
traceback.print_exc()
print("FAIL"); sys.exit(2)
print("PASS 3/3 phases. EXIT 0.")
sys.exit(0)
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
PoC dependencies: praisonai==4.6.33 from PyPI. Tested on Python 3.11.
Run log verdict: PASS 3/3 phases. EXIT 0. — vulnerable-default shape confirmed. auth_enabled=False by default, check_auth() short-circuits to True, fix toggle exists but is opt-in.
Impact
An operator who runs the vendor-documented quickstart (pip install praisonai && praisonai deploy --type api) gets a network-reachable Flask server that invokes praisonai.run() on attacker-supplied JSON with the user's LLM API keys in the process environment. The attacker reaches arbitrary LLM-orchestration (including any tool-use the agents define, which in PraisonAI commonly includes python_repl, bash, file I/O, and HTTP calls), with the host's API-key credit billed to the operator.
- Belief: CVE-2026-44338 was filed and triaged.
- Reality:
praisonai==4.6.33is current@lateston PyPI (2026-05-16). The generator still defaults toauth_enabled=False. - Gap: The CVE acknowledges the fix shape exists. The fix is opt-in. The default-config consumer remains vulnerable.
Parent CVE: CVE-2026-44338 / GHSA-6rmh-7xcm-cpxj
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Python (PyPI) | praisonai | < 4.6.40 | 4.6.40 |
References
- https://github.com/MervinPraison/PraisonAI/security/advisories/GHSA-8444-4fhq-fxpq
- https://github.com/MervinPraison/PraisonAI
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-6rmh-7xcm-cpxj
- https://pypi.org/project/praisonai
- https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-8444-4fhq-fxpq
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-47393
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-1188, CWE-306- Platform
- Python (PyPI)
- Package
praisonai- Disclosed
- 29.05.2026
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 14:18
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - PYSEC-2026-465 - PyPA Advisory Database; CC BY 4.0
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-8444-4fhq-fxpq - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: praisonai
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Python (PyPI)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 104
- First → latest
- 04.2026 10.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- Critical 27
- High 60
- Medium 17
Disclosures per year
- 2026: 104
-
PraisonAI `deploy --type api` emits a Flask server with authentication disabled by default this entry
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