RCE in Zed
CVE-2026-44461
Zed is a code editor. Prior to 0.227.1, Zed builds SSH/WSL remote commands as a shell command string that starts with exec env ..., but environment variable keys are inserted without shell quoting or validation. If an attacker can control an environment variable key (for example via project terminal settings), shell expansions in the key (such as $(...)) are evaluated by the remote shell when a terminal is opened. This can lead to arbitrary command execution on the remote host under the victim user's account. This vulnerability is fixed in 0.227.1.
Vulnerability class: Command Injection (OS Command Injection)
EPSS: 0.003 (17.1th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 8.6 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H.
Affected products
- Zed
- Zed-industries Zed — versions < 0.227.1
Weakness classification (CWE)
References
- security-advisories@github.com (x_refsource_CONFIRM, Exploit, Vendor Advisory)
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2026-44461?
- CVE-2026-44461 is a high-severity vulnerability in Zed, classified under OS Command Injection. CVSS score: 8.6/10. Published 2026-05-28.
- How severe is CVE-2026-44461?
- High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 8.6 out of 10.