4.8
MEDIUM CVSS 3.1
CVE-2026-33621
PinchTab: Unapplied Rate Limiting Middleware Allows Unbounded Brute-Force of API Token
Description

PinchTab is a standalone HTTP server that gives AI agents direct control over a Chrome browser. PinchTab `v0.7.7` through `v0.8.4` contain incomplete request-throttling protections for auth-checkable endpoints. In `v0.7.7` through `v0.8.3`, a fully implemented `RateLimitMiddleware` existed in `internal/handlers/middleware.go` but was not inserted into the production HTTP handler chain, so requests were not subject to the intended per-IP throttle. In the same pre-`v0.8.4` range, the original limiter also keyed clients using `X-Forwarded-For`, which would have allowed client-controlled header spoofing if the middleware had been enabled. `v0.8.4` addressed those two issues by wiring the limiter into the live handler chain and switching the key to the immediate peer IP, but it still exempted `/health` and `/metrics` from rate limiting even though `/health` remained an auth-checkable endpoint when a token was configured. This issue weakens defense in depth for deployments where an attacker can reach the API, especially if a weak human-chosen token is used. It is not a direct authentication bypass or token disclosure issue by itself. PinchTab is documented as local-first by default and uses `127.0.0.1` plus a generated random token in the recommended setup. PinchTab's default deployment model is a local-first, user-controlled environment between the user and their agents; wider exposure is an intentional operator choice. This lowers practical risk in the default configuration, even though it does not by itself change the intrinsic base characteristics of the bug. This was fully addressed in `v0.8.5` by applying `RateLimitMiddleware` in the production handler chain, deriving the client address from the immediate peer IP instead of trusting forwarded headers by default, and removing the `/health` and `/metrics` exemption so auth-checkable endpoints are throttled as well.

INFO

Published Date :

March 26, 2026, 9:17 p.m.

Last Modified :

March 26, 2026, 9:17 p.m.

Remotely Exploit :

Yes !
Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2026-33621 vulnerability. Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the products that are affected, the information is not represented in the table below.

No affected product recoded yet

CVSS Scores
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System is a standardized framework for assessing the severity of vulnerabilities in software and systems. We collect and displays CVSS scores from various sources for each CVE.
Score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Score Impact Score Source
CVSS 3.1 MEDIUM [email protected]
Solution
Update PinchTab to the latest version to apply request throttling and security fixes.
  • Update PinchTab to version 0.8.5 or later.
  • Ensure rate limiting is applied to all endpoints.
  • Configure PinchTab in a secure, local-first environment.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to CVE-2026-33621.

URL Resource
https://github.com/pinchtab/pinchtab/commit/c619c43a4f29d1d1a481e859c193baf78e0d648b
https://github.com/pinchtab/pinchtab/releases/tag/v0.8.4
https://github.com/pinchtab/pinchtab/security/advisories/GHSA-j65m-hv65-r264
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-33621 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-33621 weaknesses.

CAPEC-21: Exploitation of Trusted Identifiers Exploitation of Trusted Identifiers CAPEC-22: Exploiting Trust in Client Exploiting Trust in Client CAPEC-59: Session Credential Falsification through Prediction Session Credential Falsification through Prediction CAPEC-60: Reusing Session IDs (aka Session Replay) Reusing Session IDs (aka Session Replay) CAPEC-94: Adversary in the Middle (AiTM) Adversary in the Middle (AiTM) CAPEC-459: Creating a Rogue Certification Authority Certificate Creating a Rogue Certification Authority Certificate CAPEC-461: Web Services API Signature Forgery Leveraging Hash Function Extension Weakness Web Services API Signature Forgery Leveraging Hash Function Extension Weakness CAPEC-473: Signature Spoof Signature Spoof CAPEC-476: Signature Spoofing by Misrepresentation Signature Spoofing by Misrepresentation CAPEC-667: Bluetooth Impersonation AttackS (BIAS) Bluetooth Impersonation AttackS (BIAS) CAPEC-125: Flooding Flooding CAPEC-130: Excessive Allocation Excessive Allocation CAPEC-147: XML Ping of the Death XML Ping of the Death CAPEC-197: Exponential Data Expansion Exponential Data Expansion CAPEC-229: Serialized Data Parameter Blowup Serialized Data Parameter Blowup CAPEC-230: Serialized Data with Nested Payloads Serialized Data with Nested Payloads CAPEC-231: Oversized Serialized Data Payloads Oversized Serialized Data Payloads CAPEC-469: HTTP DoS HTTP DoS CAPEC-482: TCP Flood TCP Flood CAPEC-486: UDP Flood UDP Flood CAPEC-487: ICMP Flood ICMP Flood CAPEC-488: HTTP Flood HTTP Flood CAPEC-489: SSL Flood SSL Flood CAPEC-490: Amplification Amplification CAPEC-491: Quadratic Data Expansion Quadratic Data Expansion CAPEC-493: SOAP Array Blowup SOAP Array Blowup CAPEC-494: TCP Fragmentation TCP Fragmentation CAPEC-495: UDP Fragmentation UDP Fragmentation CAPEC-496: ICMP Fragmentation ICMP Fragmentation CAPEC-528: XML Flood XML Flood

We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).

Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.

The following list is the news that have been mention CVE-2026-33621 vulnerability anywhere in the article.

The following table lists the changes that have been made to the CVE-2026-33621 vulnerability over time.

Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.

  • New CVE Received by [email protected]

    Mar. 26, 2026

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added Description PinchTab is a standalone HTTP server that gives AI agents direct control over a Chrome browser. PinchTab `v0.7.7` through `v0.8.4` contain incomplete request-throttling protections for auth-checkable endpoints. In `v0.7.7` through `v0.8.3`, a fully implemented `RateLimitMiddleware` existed in `internal/handlers/middleware.go` but was not inserted into the production HTTP handler chain, so requests were not subject to the intended per-IP throttle. In the same pre-`v0.8.4` range, the original limiter also keyed clients using `X-Forwarded-For`, which would have allowed client-controlled header spoofing if the middleware had been enabled. `v0.8.4` addressed those two issues by wiring the limiter into the live handler chain and switching the key to the immediate peer IP, but it still exempted `/health` and `/metrics` from rate limiting even though `/health` remained an auth-checkable endpoint when a token was configured. This issue weakens defense in depth for deployments where an attacker can reach the API, especially if a weak human-chosen token is used. It is not a direct authentication bypass or token disclosure issue by itself. PinchTab is documented as local-first by default and uses `127.0.0.1` plus a generated random token in the recommended setup. PinchTab's default deployment model is a local-first, user-controlled environment between the user and their agents; wider exposure is an intentional operator choice. This lowers practical risk in the default configuration, even though it does not by itself change the intrinsic base characteristics of the bug. This was fully addressed in `v0.8.5` by applying `RateLimitMiddleware` in the production handler chain, deriving the client address from the immediate peer IP instead of trusting forwarded headers by default, and removing the `/health` and `/metrics` exemption so auth-checkable endpoints are throttled as well.
    Added CVSS V3.1 AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
    Added CWE CWE-290
    Added CWE CWE-770
    Added Reference https://github.com/pinchtab/pinchtab/commit/c619c43a4f29d1d1a481e859c193baf78e0d648b
    Added Reference https://github.com/pinchtab/pinchtab/releases/tag/v0.8.4
    Added Reference https://github.com/pinchtab/pinchtab/security/advisories/GHSA-j65m-hv65-r264
EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days. Following chart shows the EPSS score history of the vulnerability.