Kitty has an arbitrary file overwrite via symlink following in `kitten dnd` remote drop staging
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · High · Low
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions 0.47.0 and 0.47.1, `kitten dnd` can allow a malicious remote drag-and-drop source to overwrite or truncate arbitrary files writable by the local kitty user. Remote `text/uri-list` drops are staged in a temporary directory, but on case-sensitive filesystems duplicate remote basenames are not de-duplicated. An attacker can first create a staged symlink and then send a same-name regular-file entry. The regular-file write uses `utils.CreateAt()` / `openat(O_RDWR|O_CREAT|O_TRUNC)` without `O_NOFOLLOW`, so it follows the attacker-created symlink and writes outside the staging directory before final overwrite confirmation runs. This appears related in class to the file-transfer symlink advisory, but it is a different bug: it affects `kitten dnd` remote drag-and-drop staging, uses different vulnerable code (`kittens/dnd/drop.go` and `tools/utils/file_at_fd.go`), and reproduces on commit `4aa4a5c0567a92553a8c20a88a4352da637fca5d`, after the file-transfer `O_NOFOLLOW` fix. Version 0.47.2 patches the issue.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kovidgoyal | kitty | 0.47.0 to before 0.47.2 | 0.47.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- kitty Vendorkovidgoyal Affected 0.47.0 to before 0.47.2 Fixed in 0.47.2 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 1
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:kovidgoyal:kitty:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 0.47.0 to before 0.47.2 | Vulnerable | kovidgoyal |
- cpe:2.3:a:kovidgoyal:kitty:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 0.47.0 to before 0.47.2 Vulnerable ·kovidgoyal
Remediation
- Fix · CNA kitty (kovidgoyal) Fixed in 0.47.2
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-54056
References
More kovidgoyal Kitty vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-26023 Kitty has a Heap Buffer Over-Read/Write via Integer Overflow in compose_rectangles Bounds Check CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.9
- TI-2026-26014 Kitty has a Heap Buffer Overflow in its Graphics Protocol Handler CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2026-38991 Kitty vulnerable to command injection via unsanitized OSC 21 query reply CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.3
- TI-2025-28495 Origin validation error in kitty CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2026-38989 Kitty has an Arbitrary File Write via Symlink Race Condition in File Transmission Protocol CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.0
- TI-2020-18102 The Graphics Protocol feature in graphics.c in kitty before 0.19.3 allows remote… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2026-54056 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-54056 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2026-54056 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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