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CVE-2026-58138 is a severe remote code execution vulnerability impacting Orkes Conductor version 3.21.
The core flaw exists within the evaluation engine handling workflow script tasks such as INLINE, LAMBDA, DO_WHILE, and SWITCH.
When processing these workflow tasks, the application parses user-supplied JavaScript or Python expressions dynamically.
Under normal secure operating parameters, expression evaluators must operate within a tightly restricted sandbox environment.
However, in affected versions of Orkes Conductor, the underlying GraalVM context is misconfigured with HostAccess set to ALL.
This overly permissive configuration completely strips away the security isolation boundaries of the sandbox.
Consequently, any user or unauthenticated entity capable of interacting with the API can submit workflow definitions.
An attacker can craft a malicious HTTP POST request registering a workflow containing a hostile INLINE script task.
Upon triggering this workflow execution, the embedded payload breaks out of any intended script restrictions.
The supplied code is then executed directly by the underlying host process running the workflow engine.
In standard containerized or default deployment setups, this container process runs with root privileges.
Executing arbitrary code as root allows an attacker to compromise the entire underlying orchestration node.
Furthermore, because workflow engines integrate deeply with internal infrastructure, lateral movement becomes trivial.
Attackers gain immediate access to connected databases, microservices, secrets management vaults, and cloud APIs.
The lack of mandatory authentication on open-source installations significantly lowers the exploitation barrier.
Attackers do not require valid credentials or prior session tokens to initiate the malicious workflow registration.
Network exposure to the API endpoint is the sole prerequisite required for successful remote exploitation.
Telemetry data from security research confirms active in-the-wild exploitation targeting this specific flaw.
Remediation requires updating the orchestration engine to secure patched codebases where HostAccess is restricted.
Security teams are strongly advised to audit open workflow endpoints and enforce strict authentication mechanisms.
Without proper network segmentation and access controls, exposed orchestration layers remain high-value targets.
Understanding this mechanism underscores the critical danger of unauthenticated workflow automation engines.
DailyCVE Form:
Platform: Orkes Conductor
Version: 3.21
Vulnerability: Remote Code Execution
Severity: Critical
date: June 30 2026
Prediction: June 3 2026
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curl -X POST "http://target-conductor:8080/api/workflow" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"name":"malicious_workflow","tasks":[{"name":"inline_task","taskType":"INLINE","scriptExpression":"java.lang.Runtime.getRuntime().exec(\"id\")"}]}'
import requests
url = "http://target-conductor:8080/api/workflow"
payload = {"name": "exploit", "tasks": [{"name": "eval", "taskType": "INLINE", "scriptExpression": "java.lang.Runtime.getRuntime().exec('id')"}]}
response = requests.post(url, json=payload)
print(response.status_code, response.text)
Exploit: (Educational Purposes!)
The exploit relies on sending a crafted JSON payload via an unauthenticated HTTP POST request to the workflow registration endpoint. By supplying a malicious script expression inside an INLINE task, the GraalVM execution context evaluates the string without restrictions due to the HostAccess configuration. This triggers native Java execution calls, allowing attackers to spawn shell processes, execute operating system commands, establish reverse TCP connections, and achieve complete system takeover.
Protection:
To protect against CVE-2026-58138, administrators must immediately upgrade Orkes Conductor to version 3.30 or later where the GraalVM sandbox boundaries are correctly enforced. Additionally, organizations should enforce strict authentication and authorization layers on all workflow management APIs, implement network segmentation to prevent public exposure of orchestration interfaces, and monitor container logs for anomalous process creation or outbound network activity originating from the Conductor service.
Impact:
The impact of this vulnerability is critical, resulting in complete compromise of the workflow orchestration server. Since container instances often run with elevated or root privileges, successful exploitation grants attackers full control over the host system. This enables data exfiltration, deployment of persistence mechanisms, internal network reconnaissance, and lateral movement across connected enterprise microservices and cloud infrastructure.
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Sources:
Reported By: github.com
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