CVE-2025-68433: Zed IDE MCP Context Server Configuration Arbitrary Code Execution

Severity: high (CVSS 7.3 v3.1)
Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
EPSS: 0.3% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
Public exploit or detection template: yes
Published: 2025-12-17 · updated 2026-10-13
Weakness: CWE-77

Description

Zed, a code editor, has an aribtrary code execution vulnerability in versions prior to 0.218.2-pre. The Zed IDE loads Model Context Protocol (MCP) configurations from the `settings.json` file located within a project’s `.zed` subdirectory. A malicious MCP configuration can contain arbitrary shell commands that run on the host system with the privileges of the user running the IDE. This can be triggered automatically without any user interaction besides opening the project in the IDE. Version 0.218.2-pre fixes the issue by implementing worktree trust mechanism. As a workaround, users should carefully review the contents of project settings files (`./zed/settings.json`) before opening new projects in Zed.

Affected products

zed-industries zed: before 0.218.2 — fixed in 0.218.2

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: zed-industries zed 0.218.2. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

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