🔒 Security: MCP Integration Leaks Complete process.env to MCP Servers

[Correctover]

Security Issue: Environment Variable Leak

Summary

The MCP CLI integration passes the complete process.env object to MCP server processes, exposing sensitive environment variables.

Vulnerability Details

File: extensions/cli/src/services/mcpTransports.ts lines 78-83

const transport = new StdioClientTransport({ 
  command: resolved.command,
  args: resolved.args,
  cwd: resolved.cwd,
  env: process.env  // ← Full environment leak
});

Impact

All users running Continue.dev CLI with MCP integration have their complete environment exposed to MCP server processes:

• AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID / AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY
• Database credentials
• API tokens and secrets
• SSH keys

CVSS Score

6.5 (Medium) - CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Recommended Fix

const safeEnv = { PATH: process.env.PATH, HOME: process.env.HOME };
// Only pass explicitly needed variables

Reproduction

1. Install Continue.dev CLI
2. Configure any MCP server in config
3. MCP server receives complete process.env via stdio transport

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Discovered by: Correctover - AI Runtime Security Research
CCS Patterns: Part of 16 systemic vulnerability patterns across 11 AI frameworks
Zenodo DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21466131

@hannesrudolph @nate-sarris