CVE-2026-41253
In iTerm2 through 3.6.9, displaying a .txt file can cause code execution via DCS 2000p and OSC...
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.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- Low
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
6.9
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-41253- CVSS 3.1
- 6.9 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-829
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-23656
6.9
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.
- Record
EUVD-2026-23656- CVSS 3.1
- 6.9 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-5pgv-4jf4-9r43
6.9
In iTerm2 through 3.6.9, displaying a .txt file can cause code execution via DCS 2000p and OSC...
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.
- Record
GHSA-5pgv-4jf4-9r43- CVSS 3.1
- 6.9 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-829
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
6.9
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-41253- CVSS 3.1
- 6.9 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L - CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-829
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
6.9
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.
- Record
CVE-2026-41253- CVSS 3.1
- 6.9 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L - Weakness
- CWE-829
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2026-41253 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 6.9) in Iterm2, published April 18, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.20%, the 9th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
iterm2.com/downloads.html
blog.calif.io/p/mad-bugs-even-cat-readmetxt-is-not
github.com/gnachman/iTerm2/commit/a9e745993c2e2cbb30b884a16617cd5495899f86
news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47809190
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-41253
github.com/advisories/GHSA-5pgv-4jf4-9r43
github.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/tree/main/cves/2026/41xxx/CVE-2026-41253.json