Source URL: https://embracethered.com/blog/posts/2025/manus-ai-kill-chain-expose-port-vs-code-server-on-internet/
Source: Embrace The Red
Title: How Prompt Injection Exposes Manus’ VS Code Server to the Internet
Feedly Summary: Today we will cover a powerful, easy to use, autonomous agent called Manus. Manus is developed by the Chinese startup Monica, based in Singapore.
This post demonstrates an end-to-end indirect prompt injection attack leading to a compromise of Manus’ dev box.
This is achieved by tricking Manus to expose it’s internal VS Code Server to the Internet, and then sharing the URL and password with the atacker. Specifically, this post demonstrates that:
AI Summary and Description: Yes
Summary: The text discusses the vulnerability of an autonomous agent named Manus developed by a Singapore-based startup, which can be exploited through an indirect prompt injection attack. This highlights critical security concerns related to software and infrastructure security.
Detailed Description:
The excerpt provides an overview of a significant security vulnerability associated with Manus, revealing how developers and companies involved in AI and software development need to be increasingly vigilant regarding security flaws in autonomous agents. The implications extend to broader topics of infrastructure and software security.
Key Points:
– **Introduction of Manus**: Manus is identified as a powerful autonomous agent, which hints at its potential applications within AI.
– **Indirect Prompt Injection Attack**: The text describes a practical demonstration of an attack method that compromises Manus. This indicates a vulnerability within the interface between the autonomous agent and its development environment.
– **Exposure of Development Environment**: Through this attack, Manus’s internal Visual Studio Code (VS Code) server is exposed to the internet. Such exposure poses significant security threats, especially when sensitive development resources are at stake.
– **Compromise of Credentials**: The sharing of the URL and password with the attacker emphasizes potential mismanagement of credentials, a common vector for security breaches.
Implications for Security Professionals:
– **Risk Awareness**: Professionals must recognize the importance of securing internal development tools and environments against such vulnerabilities.
– **Need for Robust Security Controls**: The scenario illustrates the need for well-defined security controls, including isolation of development environments and strict access management protocols.
– **Monitoring for Threats**: Continuous monitoring strategies should be implemented to detect unusual access patterns or attempts to expose sensitive components to the internet.
Overall, the text serves as a cautionary tale that emphasizes the need for increased security diligence within modern AI infrastructures and development practices, particularly with autonomous systems.