Manus AI leaked its own system prompt when a user simply asked it to read its internal directory

Manus AI, a Chinese startup's 'general AI agent,' leaked its own system prompt shortly after a high-profile launch. A user identified as 'jian' found that simply asking Manus to output the contents of its internal directory — e.g. /opt/.manus/ — caused it to reveal key internal instructions, no elaborate jailbreak required. Because the agent treated a privileged internal-file read as an ordinary task, its proprietary system prompt and configuration spilled out. Leaked prompts can expose proprietary algorithms, security settings, and internal processes that adversaries then use to craft targeted attacks. The fix is basic agent hygiene the product shipped without: input filtering so that queries aimed at internal instructions or privileged paths trigger a safe refusal rather than dutiful compliance.