Kitty: Command injection into the child shell via chained @kitty-echo + @kitty-ssh DCS escape sequences
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- Present
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-77.
Summary
Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. Prior to 0.48.2, the @kitty-echo and @kitty-ssh DCS handlers in kitty/window.py write unauthenticated data to the child shell's stdin, where handle_remote_echo accepts printable shell command characters and handle_remote_ssh calls get_ssh_data in kittens/ssh/utils.py, which emits a newline; chaining the handlers can execute attacker-controlled commands when a user displays untrusted terminal data. This issue is fixed in version 0.48.2.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Poc
- Automatable
- Yes
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kovidgoyal | kitty | before 0.48.2 | 0.48.2 | Patch available | CNA |
- kitty Vendorkovidgoyal Affected before 0.48.2 Fixed in 0.48.2 Patch available CNA
CPE names Threatist (inferred) · 1
Inferred from how NVD named this product before; not given by a source.
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:kovidgoyal:kitty:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | — | — | kovidgoyal |
- cpe:2.3:a:kovidgoyal:kitty:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions — — ·kovidgoyal
Remediation
- Fix · CNA kitty (kovidgoyal) Fixed in 0.48.2
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 | Affected | No fix yet |
Not affected: 2 products
- External Secrets Operator for Red Hat OpenShift
- Logging Subsystem for Red Hat OpenShift
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-72913
References
More kovidgoyal 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-2026-51386 Missing authorization in kovidgoyal calibre CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2026-51385 calibre: Bypass of Python template restrictions via nested `template()` leading to RCE CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.5
- TI-2026-38585 calibre: Arbitrary Code Execution in Template Formatter via Book Metadata CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.5
- TI-2026-25627 calibre has a path traversal vulnerability CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.2
Sources
- CVE-2026-72913 · CVE Program
- CVE-2026-72913 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2026-72913 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences