Unpatched ChromaDB Vulnerability Can Lead to Server Takeover

An unpatched vulnerability in ChromaDB could allow remote, unauthenticated attackers to spawn a shell and take control of the server process, HiddenLayer reports. ChromaDB is an open source vector database for building AI applications. It has approximately 13 million monthly pip downloads and is used by high-profile organizations, including Mintlify, Factory AI, and Weights & Biases. Tracked as CVE-2026-45829 and referred to as ChromaToast, the pre-authentication remote code execution (RCE) flaw could be exploited to leak sensitive information the server has access to, including API keys, environment variables, mounted secrets, and all files on the disk, according to HiddenLayer. “The root cause of CVE-2026-45829 is two independent failures that compound each other. The server trusts client-supplied model identifiers without restriction, and acts on that trust before authenticating the user sending the request,” HiddenLayer says. An unauthenticated attacker can trigger the flaw by supplying a malicious HuggingFace model that is executed before authentication checks, providing an attacker with shell access, the cybersecurity firm explains. HiddenLayer exploited the issue by sending a collection creation request that did not contain credentials but pointed to a crafted HuggingFace model. “Despite no credentials being provided, the server accepts the request, reaches out to HuggingFace, downloads our model, and executes it. It is only then that the server runs its authentication check and rejects the request,” the company explains. Successful exploitation of the bug provides the attacker with full control of the server process and with access to everything it can reach. The vulnerability affects all ChromaDB iterations since version 1.0.0, and roughly 73% of the internet-accessible deployments are affected, HiddenLayer says. The cybersecurity firm says it has attempted to report the issue to Chroma multiple times via several channels starting February 17, but has received no response. Independent researcher Azraelxuemo says they reported the flaw in November 2025, but received no response either. While unpatched, CVE-2026-45829 potentially exposes vulnerable ChromaDB deployments to takeover attacks. Restricting network access to ChromaDB to trusted clients only should mitigate the bug, HiddenLayer notes. “Full remediation in the code would be to move the authentication check before configuration loading and stripping any keys named ‘kwargs’ from requests in both the V1 and V2 create_collection handles. However, this is not patched as of ChromaDB 1.5.8,” the company says. SecurityWeek has emailed Chroma for a statement on the vulnerability and will update this article if the company responds. Related: PoC Released for DirtyDecrypt Linux Kernel Vulnerability Related: Critical Vulnerability Exposes Industrial Robot Fleets to Hacking Related: Exploitation of Critical NGINX Vulnerability Begins Related: Hackers Targeted PraisonAI Vulnerability Hours After Disclosure WRITTEN BY Ionut Arghire Ionut Arghire is an international correspondent for SecurityWeek. More from Ionut Arghire ‘Claw Chain’ OpenClaw Flaws Allow Sandbox Escape, Backdoor Delivery Researcher Drops MiniPlasma Windows Exploit for Unpatched 2020 CVE First Shai-Hulud Worm Clones Emerge Exploitation of Critical NGINX Vulnerability Begins PoC Code Published for Critical NGINX Vulnerability OpenAI Hit by TanStack Supply Chain Attack TeamPCP Ups the Game, Releases Shai-Hulud Worm’s Source Code Chrome 148 Update Patches Critical Vulnerabilities Latest News Microsoft Disrupts Malware-Signing Service Run by ‘Fox Tempest’  Legacy Windows Tool MSHTA Fuels Surge in Silent Malware Attacks B1ack’s Stash Marketplace Gives Away 4.6 Million Stolen Credit Cards Cyber Resilience is the New Business Continuity Plan 201 Arrested in Crackdown on Cybercrime in Middle East, North Africa PoC Released for DirtyDecrypt Linux Kernel Vulnerability Critical Vulnerability Exposes Industrial Robot Fleets to Hacking Millions Impacted Across Several US Healthcare Data Breaches Trending Webinar: Third-Party Risk In Practice June 4, 2026 Organizations are investing heavily in third-party risk management, but breaches, delays, and blind spots continue to persist. Join this live webinar as we examine the gap between how organizations think their third-party risk programs are performing and what’s actually happening in practice. Register Virtual Event: Threat Detection And Incident Response Summit May 20, 2026 Delve into big-picture strategies to reduce attack surfaces, improve patch management, conduct post-incident forensics, and tools and tricks needed in a modern organization. Register People on the Move Tim Byrd has been appointed Chief Information Security Officer at First Citizens Bank. IRONSCALES has named Steve McKenzie as Chief Operating Officer. Silvio Pappalardo has joined AuthMind as Chief Revenue Officer. More People On The Move Expert Insights Cyber Resilience Is The New Business Continuity Plan The organizations best prepared to face disruption are those that align security, continuity and risk management around what the business cannot afford to lose. (Steve Durbin) Enhancing Data Center Security Without Sacrificing Performance For AI data centers, where the stakes are the highest and performance constraints are the tightest, security and performance are no longer a zero-sum game. (Nadir Izrael) Is The SOC Obsolete, And We Just Haven’t Admitted It Yet? Many AI-first enterprises have already embraced sovereign architectures for general AI initiatives; cybersecurity—and the SOC—should be next. (Danelle Au) The Mythos Moment: Enterprises Must Fight Agents With Agents Only with the right platform and an agentic, AI-driven defense, will enterprises be able to protect themselves in the agentic era. (Etay Maor) Why Cybersecurity Must Rethink Defense In The Age Of Autonomous Agents From autonomous code generation to decision-making systems that initiate actions without human intervention, the industry is entering a new phase. (Torsten George) Flipboard Reddit Whatsapp Email