Critical Figma MCP Vulnerability Threatens AI Security
A critical flaw in Figma's MCP server exposes organizations to AI compromise, enabling remote code execution and potential data breaches.
Critical Figma MCP Vulnerability Threatens AI Security
A critical security flaw in the Figma MCP (Model Context Protocol) server has been disclosed, posing significant risks to organizations using this popular web design tool’s AI-powered features. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-53967, enables attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely by exploiting a command injection weakness in the MCP server's handling of user input. This flaw opens the door to agentic AI compromise, allowing malicious actors to manipulate AI-driven operations within Figma environments, potentially leading to severe data breaches and system takeovers.
Background and Discovery
The vulnerability was uncovered and reported by cybersecurity firm Imperva in July 2025. It stems from a design oversight in the Figma MCP server, which directly incorporates unsanitized user input into shell commands. This insecure practice allows attackers to inject shell metacharacters (such as |, >, &&) into command-line strings, leading to remote code execution (RCE) with the same privileges as the server process.
The MCP server is integral to Figma's interaction with AI-powered coding agents like Cursor, enabling automated design and development workflows. However, this integration also introduces risks, as the vulnerability enables attackers to hijack these AI tools by forcing the MCP client to execute unintended commands. This indirect prompt injection can result in an attacker gaining control over design environments and potentially sensitive organizational data.
Technical Details
- Vulnerability Type: Command Injection (CVE-2025-53967)
- CVSS Score: 7.5 (High severity)
- Attack Vector: Exploiting unsanitized user input within shell command execution routines.
- Impact: Full remote code execution under the server's privilege level.
- Affected Component: Framelink Figma MCP Server, used for AI-assisted design operations.
- Exploitation Scenario: Attackers can trick the MCP client into executing arbitrary shell commands, compromising the AI agent's intended behavior.
Imperva’s research highlighted that the vulnerability reflects a critical gap in secure coding practices amid rapid AI development. The MCP server's fallback mechanisms failed to properly validate or sanitize inputs, creating a "lethal trifecta" vulnerability: access to private data, handling of untrusted input, and communication with external services. This combination significantly amplifies the attack surface.
Response and Mitigation
The flaw has been addressed in Figma MCP server version 0.6.3, released shortly after the vulnerability disclosure. Users and organizations are strongly advised to update immediately to this patched version to eliminate the risk of exploitation.
Further mitigation recommendations include:
- Implementing strict input validation and sanitization to prevent injection attacks.
- Enforcing robust authentication and authorization controls using OAuth 2.1 frameworks and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to restrict AI agent capabilities according to user roles.
- Monitoring AI interactions closely to detect anomalous commands or behavior that may indicate compromise.
Industry Implications
This vulnerability underscores the growing cybersecurity challenges posed by integrating agentic AI—AI systems capable of autonomous decision-making and actions—into enterprise applications. While AI accelerates productivity and innovation, inadequate security controls can turn these tools into attack vectors.
Figma, widely used by designers and developers globally, serves as a cautionary example of how AI-powered tools require rigorous security design to prevent misuse. The incident reflects broader concerns about secure AI development lifecycles, especially when AI agents interface directly with core infrastructure or sensitive data.
Cybersecurity professionals stress the importance of evolving security models alongside AI capabilities. This includes adopting secure coding standards tailored for AI applications, continuous threat monitoring, and applying the principle of least privilege rigorously to AI tool access.
Visual Context
- Figma Logo and Interface Screenshots: Illustrate the affected design platform.
- Diagram of MCP Server Architecture: Show client-host-server relationships and AI agent integration.
- Security Advisory Snippet: Highlighting the CVE-2025-53967 vulnerability details.
- Patch Release Announcement: Communicating the urgency of upgrading Figma MCP server.
The Figma MCP server vulnerability represents a significant wake-up call for organizations leveraging agentic AI in their workflows. Immediate patching combined with enhanced security practices is essential to prevent exploitation and protect sensitive design ecosystems from compromise.
Figma logo, the popular web-based design tool affected by the MCP server vulnerability.
Illustration of MCP server's client-host-server architecture, key to understanding the attack vector.
Excerpt from security advisory describing the command injection flaw in the Figma MCP server.
This incident highlights the urgent need for security-first AI development as agentic AI becomes embedded in critical business tools. Organizations must balance innovation with vigilance to safeguard against emerging cyber threats in the AI era.
