OWASP Agentic AI Threat T11: Unexpected RCE and Code Attacks - How AI Code Execution Can Be Exploited

Sometimes the biggest danger isn’t from what the AI says—it’s from what it runs. OWASP Agentic AI Threat T11 illustrates that attackers can slip malicious code into AI-generated execution environments. This can lead to remote code execution (RCE) and total system compromise.

Learn OWASP Agentic AI Top 15 Threats – Complete Guide to AI Security Risks

What Is the “Unexpected RCE and Code Attacks” Threat?

Remote Code Execution (RCE) is one of the most severe vulnerabilities in cybersecurity. It means someone can run their own code on your system. In the context of Agentic AI, this risk emerges when:

• The AI writes, modifies, or executes code in its environment
• Malicious or unintended code gets run automatically without proper review
• Attackers craft inputs that cause the AI to generate dangerous scripts or commands

AI code generation can feel "safe" because it’s automated. It's easy to forget that malicious code doesn’t have to look suspicious. It just has to execute.

Why This Is So Dangerous

If an attacker gains the ability to make your AI run arbitrary code, they could:

• Access or delete sensitive data
• Take control of connected systems
• Spread malware through the AI’s integrations
• Escalate privileges to compromise other services
• Disable security controls

And the worst part? The AI itself might not even realize what it’s done.

How These Attacks Happen

1. Prompt Injection to Generate Malicious Code
A user feeds the AI a carefully designed request. It looks legitimate but includes malicious commands. These commands are embedded in comments or variables.

2. Exploiting Code Execution Environments
If the AI’s output is executed without review, attackers can slip in harmful instructions. This is especially a risk in automation pipelines.

3. Leveraging AI Creativity
LLMs generate code based on patterns. A malicious prompt can nudge them toward creating exploitable scripts "accidentally."

4. Overprivileged Execution
AI-generated scripts run with full system privileges. They do not operate in a restricted sandbox. This setup gives malicious code free rein.

5. Payload Obfuscation
Attackers hide harmful payloads in base64 strings, encoded functions, or seemingly harmless dependencies.

Real-World Example

A developer uses an AI assistant to automate server setup. The AI pulls in a script from a public repository without validation. Hidden in the script is a one-line backdoor that sends server credentials to an external address.

The developer deploys it automatically—unknowingly giving the attacker full access.

OWASP’s Recommended Mitigations

1. Restrict Code Generation Permissions

Not every AI agent should be able to generate or execute code. Limit these capabilities to specific, high-trust contexts.

2. Sandbox Execution Environments

Run AI-generated code in isolated, restricted environments where it can’t access sensitive files, networks, or system functions.

3. Manual Review for Elevated Privileges

If AI-generated code needs high-level permissions, require human approval before execution.

4. Execution Control Policies

Define rules that automatically flag risky commands or suspicious code patterns for review.

5. Real-Time Monitoring of AI-Generated Scripts

Log all AI-generated code, scan it for malware signatures, and track unusual system calls.

6. Use Dependency Whitelists

Only allow AI to import or install from pre-approved libraries and sources.

Signs Your AI Might Be at Risk

• AI-generated scripts run immediately without inspection
• No logging of AI outputs before execution
• The AI has unrestricted access to OS-level commands
• AI uses external code from unknown repositories without validation
• Unexpected network traffic follows AI-driven code runs

Why This Is an Emerging AI-Specific Problem

Traditional software engineers understand the risks of running untrusted code. But with AI, code generation can be automatic, frequent, and fast. This means malicious or flawed code can slip through in seconds.

In an agentic environment, AI has access to tools, APIs, and system commands. Because of this access, RCE can escalate from a single prompt to total compromise.

Conclusion

AI that can execute code is powerful—but also dangerous. Without safeguards, an attacker can turn your AI into their own automated hacking tool.

OWASP Threat T11 warns us that code execution capabilities must be tightly controlled, reviewed, and sandboxed. AI should never run code it generates without careful inspection. One bad command is all it takes to lose everything.