Ansible Lightspeed MCP Server Path Traversal via Indirect Prompt Injection
First seen Jul 22, 2026 · Updated Jul 22, 2026 · CVSS 6.6
A vulnerability in the Ansible Lightspeed MCP server allows an attacker to use indirect prompt injection to manipulate the AI agent into writing files outside of intended directories. This path traversal flaw can expose sensitive host data and enable execution of malicious commands, potentially leading to full system compromise. The CVSS score of 6.6 reflects meaningful but not maximal severity, likely due to required conditions like agent exposure to untrusted content.
Technical Analysis
The MCP server processes file path inputs (likely derived from tool arguments or content the LLM generates) without adequately sanitizing directory traversal sequences such as '../'. An attacker embeds malicious instructions in content the agent ingests (e.g., a document, playbook, or repository file), which the LLM interprets as legitimate instructions due to lack of separation between trusted prompts and untrusted data. Once triggered, the agent invokes the MCP server's file-write tool with attacker-controlled path traversal input, allowing writes to arbitrary filesystem locations outside the sandboxed working directory. This crosses the trust boundary between the LLM's reasoning layer and the tool execution layer, converting a text-based injection into concrete filesystem impact, which can be leveraged for credential theft, config tampering, or planting executable payloads for follow-on code execution.
Affected Systems
Ansible Lightspeed MCP server; protocols: MCP
Detection Signatures
- Tool invocation logs showing file write paths containing '../' or absolute paths outside expected working directory
- MCP server requests with path parameters resolving outside the configured project/workspace root
- Unexpected write operations to system directories (e.g., /etc, ~/.ssh, application config directories) originating from Lightspeed agent sessions
- Ingested content (playbooks, docs, comments) containing embedded natural-language instructions directing file operations or path values
- Anomalous MCP tool call sequences following ingestion of external/untrusted content sources
Remediation Steps
- 1
Patch MCP server
Upgrade to the fixed version of the Ansible Lightspeed MCP server that addresses CVE-2026-44192 once available.
- 2
Enforce path canonicalization
Implement strict canonicalization and allow-listing of file paths on the server side, rejecting any resolved path outside a defined workspace root.
- 3
Sandbox file operations
Run the MCP server's file write operations within a restricted, chrooted, or containerized filesystem with minimal privileges.
- 4
Sanitize untrusted content ingestion
Treat all external content (repos, docs, user-submitted playbooks) as untrusted; strip or neutralize embedded instructions before passing to the LLM context.
- 5
Monitor and alert on anomalous writes
Deploy file integrity monitoring and logging on directories accessible to the MCP server to detect unauthorized writes in near real time.
CVE / Advisory IDs
Industries Most Exposed
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