CVE-2026-95832
Reflected unknown field names in the kitty colour control escape code allow command execution in the user's shell
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component in the colour control escape code handler in kitty from 0.47.3 before 0.49.0 allows a program writing to the terminal to execute an arbitrary command in the user's shell, because color_control() in kitty/window.py answers a query for an unrecognised field name by placing that field name into the reply, and write_escape_code_to_child() in kitty/screen.c then writes the reply to the pseudoterminal master, where it is not distinguishable from input typed by the user, without neutralising it for the shell that reads it. The payload is reduced to printable ASCII before the field name is echoed, which is the restriction introduced in 0.47.3 as the fix for CVE-2026-54057, and the record and field separators ; and = are consumed as delimiters, but every other printable character survives, which is sufficient to compose a shell command. A newline is available from handle_remote_ssh() in kitty/window.py, which writes the bytes yielded by get_ssh_data() in kittens/ssh/utils.py, the first of which begin with a newline, to the pseudoterminal master before any credential carried in the request is checked. The reply is framed as an OSC sequence carrying the escape code number, the field name, and the literal value ?. This results in execution of an attacker-chosen command with the privileges of the user running the terminal.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- Passive
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
9.3
Reflected unknown field names in the kitty colour control escape code allow command execution in the user's shell
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component in the colour control escape code handler in kitty from 0.47.3 before 0.49.0 allows a program writing to the terminal to execute an arbitrary command in the user's shell, because color_control() in kitty/window.py answers a query for an unrecognised field name by placing that field name into the reply, and write_escape_code_to_child() in kitty/screen.c then writes the reply to the pseudoterminal master, where it is not distinguishable from input typed by the user, without neutralising it for the shell that reads it. The payload is reduced to printable ASCII before the field name is echoed, which is the restriction introduced in 0.47.3 as the fix for CVE-2026-54057, and the record and field separators ; and = are consumed as delimiters, but every other printable character survives, which is sufficient to compose a shell command. A newline is available from handle_remote_ssh() in kitty/window.py, which writes the bytes yielded by get_ssh_data() in kittens/ssh/utils.py, the first of which begin with a newline, to the pseudoterminal master before any credential carried in the request is checked. The reply is framed as an OSC sequence carrying the escape code number, the field name, and the literal value ?. This results in execution of an attacker-chosen command with the privileges of the user running the terminal.
- Record
CVE-2026-95832- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - Weakness
- CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-87065
9.3
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component in the colour control escape code handler in kitty from 0.47.3 before 0.49.0 allows a program writing to the terminal to execute an arbitrary command in the user's shell, because color_control() in kitty/window.py answers a query for an unrecognised field name by placing that field name into the reply, and write_escape_code_to_child() in kitty/screen.c then writes the reply to the pseudoterminal master, where it is not distinguishable from input typed by the user, without neutralising it for the shell that reads it. The payload is reduced to printable ASCII before the field name is echoed, which is the restriction introduced in 0.47.3 as the fix for CVE-2026-54057, and the record and field separators ; and = are consumed as delimiters, but every other printable character survives, which is sufficient to compose a shell command. A newline is available from handle_remote_ssh() in kitty/window.py, which writes the bytes yielded by get_ssh_data() in kittens/ssh/utils.py, the first of which begin with a newline, to the pseudoterminal master before any credential carried in the request is checked. The reply is framed as an OSC sequence carrying the escape code number, the field name, and the literal value ?. This results in execution of an attacker-chosen command with the privileges of the user running the terminal.
- Record
EUVD-2026-87065- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-hvwf-v5fx-xvj6
9.3
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component in the...
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component in the colour control escape code handler in kitty from 0.47.3 before 0.49.0 allows a program writing to the terminal to execute an arbitrary command in the user's shell, because color_control() in kitty/window.py answers a query for an unrecognised field name by placing that field name into the reply, and write_escape_code_to_child() in kitty/screen.c then writes the reply to the pseudoterminal master, where it is not distinguishable from input typed by the user, without neutralising it for the shell that reads it. The payload is reduced to printable ASCII before the field name is echoed, which is the restriction introduced in 0.47.3 as the fix for CVE-2026-54057, and the record and field separators ; and = are consumed as delimiters, but every other printable character survives, which is sufficient to compose a shell command. A newline is available from handle_remote_ssh() in kitty/window.py, which writes the bytes yielded by get_ssh_data() in kittens/ssh/utils.py, the first of which begin with a newline, to the pseudoterminal master before any credential carried in the request is checked. The reply is framed as an OSC sequence carrying the escape code number, the field name, and the literal value ?. This results in execution of an attacker-chosen command with the privileges of the user running the terminal.
- Record
GHSA-hvwf-v5fx-xvj6- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - Weakness
- CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
9.3
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component in the colour control escape code handler in kitty from 0.47.3 before 0.49.0 allows a program writing to the terminal to execute an arbitrary command in the user's shell, because color_control() in kitty/window.py answers a query for an unrecognised field name by placing that field name into the reply, and write_escape_code_to_child() in kitty/screen.c then writes the reply to the pseudoterminal master, where it is not distinguishable from input typed by the user, without neutralising it for the shell that reads it. The payload is reduced to printable ASCII before the field name is echoed, which is the restriction introduced in 0.47.3 as the fix for CVE-2026-54057, and the record and field separators ; and = are consumed as delimiters, but every other printable character survives, which is sufficient to compose a shell command. A newline is available from handle_remote_ssh() in kitty/window.py, which writes the bytes yielded by get_ssh_data() in kittens/ssh/utils.py, the first of which begin with a newline, to the pseudoterminal master before any credential carried in the request is checked. The reply is framed as an OSC sequence carrying the escape code number, the field name, and the literal value ?. This results in execution of an attacker-chosen command with the privileges of the user running the terminal.
- Record
CVE-2026-95832- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - Weakness
- CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
9.3
Reflected unknown field names in the kitty colour control escape code allow command execution in the user's shell
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component in the colour control escape code handler in kitty from 0.47.3 before 0.49.0 allows a program writing to the terminal to execute an arbitrary command in the user's shell, because color_control() in kitty/window.py answers a query for an unrecognised field name by placing that field name into the reply, and write_escape_code_to_child() in kitty/screen.c then writes the reply to the pseudoterminal master, where it is not distinguishable from input typed by the user, without neutralising it for the shell that reads it. The payload is reduced to printable ASCII before the field name is echoed, which is the restriction introduced in 0.47.3 as the fix for CVE-2026-54057, and the record and field separators ; and = are consumed as delimiters, but every other printable character survives, which is sufficient to compose a shell command. A newline is available from handle_remote_ssh() in kitty/window.py, which writes the bytes yielded by get_ssh_data() in kittens/ssh/utils.py, the first of which begin with a newline, to the pseudoterminal master before any credential carried in the request is checked. The reply is framed as an OSC sequence carrying the escape code number, the field name, and the literal value ?. This results in execution of an attacker-chosen command with the privileges of the user running the terminal.
- Record
CVE-2026-95832- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - Weakness
- CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2026-95832
9.3
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component in the colour control escape code handler in kitty from 0.47.3 before 0.49.0 allows a program writing to the terminal to execute an arbitrary command in the user's shell, because color_control() in kitty/window.py answers a query for an unrecognised field name by placing that field name into the reply, and write_escape_code_to_child() in kitty/screen.c then writes the reply to the pseudoterminal master, where it is not distinguishable from input typed by the user, without neutralising it for the shell that reads it. The payload is reduced to printable ASCII before the field name is echoed, which is the restriction introduced in 0.47.3 as the fix for CVE-2026-54057, and the record and field separators ; and = are consumed as delimiters, but every other printable character survives, which is sufficient to compose a shell command. A newline is available from handle_remote_ssh() in kitty/window.py, which writes the bytes yielded by get_ssh_data() in kittens/ssh/utils.py, the first of which begin with a newline, to the pseudoterminal master before any credential carried in the request is checked. The reply is framed as an OSC sequence carrying the escape code number, the field name, and the literal value ?. This results in execution of an attacker-chosen command with the privileges of the user running the terminal.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-95832- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-95832
9.3
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component in the colour control escape code handler in kitty from 0.47.3 before 0.49.0 allows a program writing to the terminal to execute an arbitrary command in the user's shell, because color_control() in kitty/window.py answers a query for an unrecognised field name by placing that field name into the reply, and write_escape_code_to_child() in kitty/screen.c then writes the reply to the pseudoterminal master, where it is not distinguishable from input typed by the user, without neutralising it for the shell that reads it. The payload is reduced to printable ASCII before the field name is echoed, which is the restriction introduced in 0.47.3 as the fix for CVE-2026-54057, and the record and field separators ; and = are consumed as delimiters, but every other printable character survives, which is sufficient to compose a shell command. A newline is available from handle_remote_ssh() in kitty/window.py, which writes the bytes yielded by get_ssh_data() in kittens/ssh/utils.py, the first of which begin with a newline, to the pseudoterminal master before any credential carried in the request is checked. The reply is framed as an OSC sequence carrying the escape code number, the field name, and the literal value ?. This results in execution of an attacker-chosen command with the privileges of the user running the terminal.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-95832- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
kittyDebian:12 |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.26.5-50.30.1-10.31.0-10.31.0-20.31.0-3 Show 35 moreShow less0.31.0-40.32.0-10.32.1-10.32.2-10.33.0-20.33.1-10.34.1-10.35.1-10.35.2-10.36.1-10.36.4-10.36.4-20.36.4-30.37.0-10.38.1-10.39.0-10.39.1-10.40.0-10.41.1-10.41.1-20.42.1-10.42.2-10.43.1-10.44.0-10.45.0-10.45.0-20.46.1-10.46.2-10.47.0-10.47.0-20.47.0-30.47.3-10.47.4-10.48.2-10.48.2-1.1 |
None known |
kittyDebian:13 |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.41.1-20.41.1-2+deb13u10.41.1-2+deb13u20.42.1-10.42.2-1 Show 13 moreShow less0.43.1-10.44.0-10.45.0-10.45.0-20.46.1-10.46.2-10.47.0-10.47.0-20.47.0-30.47.3-10.47.4-10.48.2-10.48.2-1.1 |
None known |
kittyDebian:14 |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.41.1-20.42.1-10.42.2-10.43.1-10.44.0-1 Show 11 moreShow less0.45.0-10.45.0-20.46.1-10.46.2-10.47.0-10.47.0-20.47.0-30.47.3-10.47.4-10.48.2-10.48.2-1.1 |
None known |
kittyUbuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.14.3-10.14.4-10.14.6-10.15.0-10.15.0-1build10.15.0-1ubuntu0.20.15.0-1ubuntu0.2+esm1 |
None known |
kittyUbuntu:Pro:22.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.19.3-10.21.2-10.21.2-1build10.21.2-1ubuntu0.22.04.10.21.2-1ubuntu0.22.04.1+esm1 |
None known |
kittyUbuntu:Pro:24.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.26.5-3ubuntu20.26.5-5ubuntu10.31.0-30.31.0-40.32.2-1 Show 8 moreShow less0.32.2-1build20.32.2-1build30.32.2-1ubuntu0.10.32.2-1ubuntu0.20.32.2-1ubuntu0.30.32.2-1ubuntu0.40.32.2-1ubuntu0.4+esm10.32.2-1ubuntu0.4+esm2 |
None known |
kittyUbuntu:26.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.45.0-1build10.47.0-30.47.4-10.48.2-1.1ubuntu1 |
None known |
kittyUbuntu:Pro:26.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 0.41.1-20.43.1-10.44.0-10.45.0-10.45.0-1build10.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm10.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm2 |
None known |
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-2026-95832 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.3) in Kitty Project Kitty, published September 25, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.16%, the 5th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/commit/03fbdad855490470233954bc810e517027e5e640
github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/commit/57bb144d96c0f9d48a2b0a6d43c9a23d2a091cbf
github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/releases/tag/v0.49.0
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-54057
secur0.com/en/cna/cve-list/cve-2026-95832-kitty-color-control-command-execution
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-95832