TI-2026-29861 Aliases CVE-2026-41253 GHSA-5pgv-4jf4-9r43

In iTerm2 through 3.6.9, displaying a .txt file can cause code execution via DCS 2000p…

HIGH 69CWE-829Published 2026-04-18 · Updated 2026-04-20

Key facts

Attack vector: Local
Privileges required: None
User interaction: Required
Attack complexity: Low
Impact type: Code execution
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: High · High · High
Fix status: No fix listed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-829.

Summary

In iTerm2 through 3.6.9, displaying a .txt file can cause code execution via DCS 2000p and OSC 135 data, if the working directory contains a malicious file whose name is valid output from the conductor encoding path, such as a pathname with an initial ace/c+ substring, aka "hypothetical in-band signaling abuse." This occurs because iTerm2 accepts the SSH conductor protocol from terminal output that does not originate from a legitimate conductor session.

Why it matters now

Exploitation Proof of concept CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV

EPSS 0.00199 9th percentileScored 2026-11-07

Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD

Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation: Poc
Automatable: No
Technical impact: Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

Vendor	Product	Affected versions	Fixed in	Status	Source
iTerm2	iTerm2	up to 3.6.9	—	No fix listed	CNA

iTerm2 VendoriTerm2 Affected up to 3.6.9 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 1

CPE	Versions	Role	Vendor
cpe:2.3:a:iterm2:iterm2::::::::	up to 3.6.9	Vulnerable	iTerm2

cpe:2.3:a:iterm2:iterm2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 3.6.9 Vulnerable ·iTerm2

Remediation

No fixed version listed by the sources yet.

Timeline

2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-41253
2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-5pgv-4jf4-9r43

References

Exploit 1

https://blog.calif.io/p/mad-bugs-even-cat-readmetxt-is-not

Patch 1

https://github.com/gnachman/iTerm2/commit/a9e745993c2e2cbb30b884a16617cd5495899f86

Other 2

TI-2024-25648 An issue was discovered in iTerm2 3.5.x before 3.5.2. CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
TI-2023-24916 iTerm2 before 3.4.20 allow (potentially remote) code execution because of mishandling of… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
TI-2023-24915 iTerm2 before 3.4.20 allow (potentially remote) code execution because of mishandling of… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
TI-2024-25647 In iTerm2 before 3.5.2, the "Terminal may report window title" setting is not honored… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
TI-2022-22670 iTerm2 before 3.4.18 mishandles a DECRQSS response. CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
TI-2023-24933 iTermSessionLauncher.m in iTerm2 before 3.5.0beta12 does not sanitize ssh hostnames in… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8

See all 11 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences