CVE-2025-11844

Hugging Face Smolagents version 1.20.0 contains an XPath injection vulnerability in the search_item_ctrl_f function located in src/smolagents/vision_web_browser.py. The function constructs an XPath query by directly concatenating user-supplied input into the XPath expression without proper sanitization or escaping. This allows an attacker to inject malicious XPath syntax that can alter the intended query logic. The vulnerability enables attackers to bypass search filters, access unintended DOM elements, and disrupt web automation workflows. This can lead to information disclosure, manipulation of AI agent interactions, and compromise the reliability of automated web tasks. The issue is fixed in version 1.22.0.

An attacker publishes a legitimate-looking webpage (e.g., a fake CVE summary site, a phishing page, or injected content on a compromised site). A smolagents-based agent browsing the web as part of a research or automation workflow calls `search_item_ctrl_f` to locate specific text. The attacker-controlled page contains XPath injection syntax embedded in visible text elements. The unsanitized input alters the XPath query, causing the function to return unintended DOM nodes — leaking hidden form data, bypassing content visibility filters, or feeding the agent incorrect page context. In a multi-step workflow, the agent proceeds to take actions (clicks, data extraction, report generation) based on this manipulated view.