CVE-2026-53870: Incorrect Default Permissions in NousResearch hermes-agent
Hermes Agent before 0.16.0 creates response_store.db and webhook_subscriptions.json with world-readable permissions (mode 0o644), exposing conversation history and HMAC secrets to local users. Attackers with local filesystem access can read these files directly to obtain sensitive data including conversation history, tool payloads, prompts, and per-route HMAC secrets.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2026-53870 describes a vulnerability in NousResearch's hermes-agent where versions prior to 0.16.0 set world-readable permissions on sensitive files response_store.db and webhook_subscriptions.json. These files contain conversation history, tool payloads, prompts, and per-route HMAC secrets. Because of the incorrect default permissions (mode 0o644), any local user with filesystem access can read these files and extract sensitive information. This vulnerability has a CVSS 4.0 score of 6.8, indicating a medium severity risk. No official patch or remediation level is currently provided in the available data.
Potential Impact
Local attackers with filesystem access can read sensitive files containing conversation history and cryptographic secrets (HMAC keys). This exposure can lead to unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and potentially compromise the integrity of communications or authentication mechanisms relying on these secrets.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict local filesystem access to trusted users only and consider manually adjusting file permissions to restrict access to these sensitive files.
CVE-2026-53870: Incorrect Default Permissions in NousResearch hermes-agent
Description
Hermes Agent before 0.16.0 creates response_store.db and webhook_subscriptions.json with world-readable permissions (mode 0o644), exposing conversation history and HMAC secrets to local users. Attackers with local filesystem access can read these files directly to obtain sensitive data including conversation history, tool payloads, prompts, and per-route HMAC secrets.
CVSS v4.0
Score 6.8medium
Affected software
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AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-53870 describes a vulnerability in NousResearch's hermes-agent where versions prior to 0.16.0 set world-readable permissions on sensitive files response_store.db and webhook_subscriptions.json. These files contain conversation history, tool payloads, prompts, and per-route HMAC secrets. Because of the incorrect default permissions (mode 0o644), any local user with filesystem access can read these files and extract sensitive information. This vulnerability has a CVSS 4.0 score of 6.8, indicating a medium severity risk. No official patch or remediation level is currently provided in the available data.
Potential Impact
Local attackers with filesystem access can read sensitive files containing conversation history and cryptographic secrets (HMAC keys). This exposure can lead to unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and potentially compromise the integrity of communications or authentication mechanisms relying on these secrets.
Mitigation Recommendations
Patch status is not yet confirmed — check the vendor advisory for current remediation guidance. Until an official fix is available, restrict local filesystem access to trusted users only and consider manually adjusting file permissions to restrict access to these sensitive files.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.2
- Assigner Short Name
- VulnCheck
- Date Reserved
- 2026-06-10T21:23:54.283Z
- Cvss Version
- 4.0
- State
- PUBLISHED
- Remediation Level
- null
Threat ID: 6a32e8dcf198dc38c1e3988c
Added to database: 6/17/2026, 6:35:08 PM
Last enriched: 6/17/2026, 6:50:31 PM
Last updated: 6/17/2026, 7:43:36 PM
Views: 3
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