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CVE-2026-54055

Kitty has an Arbitrary File Write via Symlink Race Condition in File Transmission Protocol

5.0 MediumFix available

Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions prior to 0.47.2, a local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in kitty's file transmission protocol where a child process running in the terminal can write to arbitrary files on the filesystem by exploiting a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check-Time-of-Use) race condition between symlink validation and file creation. The os.open() call used to create files does not use O_NOFOLLOW, allowing an attacker to create a symlink between the initial stat check and the actual file open, causing the write to follow the symlink to an arbitrary destination. Version 0.47.2 fixes the issue.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
Low

Exploit likelihood

0.07%Up 0.1 points since Jun 12, 2026
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 5.0

Kitty has an Arbitrary File Write via Symlink Race Condition in File Transmission Protocol

Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions prior to 0.47.2, a local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in kitty's file transmission protocol where a child process running in the terminal can write to arbitrary files on the filesystem by exploiting a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check-Time-of-Use) race condition between symlink validation and file creation. The os.open() call used to create files does not use O_NOFOLLOW, allowing an attacker to create a symlink between the initial stat check and the actual file open, causing the write to follow the symlink to an arbitrary destination. Version 0.47.2 fixes the issue.

Record
CVE-2026-54055
CVSS 3.1
5.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L
Weakness
CWE-59, CWE-367, CWE-426
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2026-36556 5.0

Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions prior to 0.47.2, a local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in kitty's file transmission protocol where a child process running in the terminal can write to arbitrary files on the filesystem by exploiting a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check-Time-of-Use) race condition between symlink validation and file creation. The os.open() call used to create files does not use O_NOFOLLOW, allowing an attacker to create a symlink between the initial stat check and the actual file open, causing the write to follow the symlink to an arbitrary destination. Version 0.47.2 fixes the issue.

Record
EUVD-2026-36556
CVSS 3.1
5.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 5.0

Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions prior to 0.47.2, a local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in kitty's file transmission protocol where a child process running in the terminal can write to arbitrary files on the filesystem by exploiting a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check-Time-of-Use) race condition between symlink validation and file creation. The os.open() call used to create files does not use O_NOFOLLOW, allowing an attacker to create a symlink between the initial stat check and the actual file open, causing the write to follow the symlink to an arbitrary destination. Version 0.47.2 fixes the issue.

Record
CVE-2026-54055
CVSS 3.1
5.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L
Weakness
CWE-59, CWE-367, CWE-426
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 5.0

Kitty has an Arbitrary File Write via Symlink Race Condition in File Transmission Protocol

Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions prior to 0.47.2, a local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in kitty's file transmission protocol where a child process running in the terminal can write to arbitrary files on the filesystem by exploiting a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check-Time-of-Use) race condition between symlink validation and file creation. The os.open() call used to create files does not use O_NOFOLLOW, allowing an attacker to create a symlink between the initial stat check and the actual file open, causing the write to follow the symlink to an arbitrary destination. Version 0.47.2 fixes the issue.

Record
CVE-2026-54055
CVSS 3.1
5.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L
Weakness
CWE-367, CWE-426, CWE-59
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2026-54055 5.0

Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions prior to 0.47.2, a local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in kitty's file transmission protocol where a child process running in the terminal can write to arbitrary files on the filesystem by exploiting a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check-Time-of-Use) race condition between symlink validation and file creation. The os.open() call used to create files does not use O_NOFOLLOW, allowing an attacker to create a symlink between the initial stat check and the actual file open, causing the write to follow the symlink to an arbitrary destination. Version 0.47.2 fixes the issue.

Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2026-54055
CVSS 3.1
5.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2026-54055 5.0

Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions prior to 0.47.2, a local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in kitty's file transmission protocol where a child process running in the terminal can write to arbitrary files on the filesystem by exploiting a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check-Time-of-Use) race condition between symlink validation and file creation. The os.open() call used to create files does not use O_NOFOLLOW, allowing an attacker to create a symlink between the initial stat check and the actual file open, causing the write to follow the symlink to an arbitrary destination. Version 0.47.2 fixes the issue.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2026-54055
CVSS 3.1
5.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:L
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUSN-8763-1 No score

kitty vulnerabilities

It was discovered that kitty incorrectly escaped error messages when handling specially crafted terminal escape sequences. A remote attacker could possibly use this issue to execute arbitrary commands. (CVE-2026-42850)

It was discovered that kitty incorrectly handled remote edit requests in terminal output. An attacker could possibly use this issue to execute arbitrary code with the user's privileges. (CVE-2026-42851)

Thai Son Dinh and Nguyen Huy Vu Dung discovered that kitty incorrectly handled destination paths in its file transmission protocol. A local attacker could possibly use this issue to overwrite arbitrary files with the user's privileges. (CVE-2026-54055)

It was discovered that kitty incorrectly sanitized responses to color queries. An attacker could possibly use this issue to execute arbitrary commands with the user's privileges. This issue only affected Ubuntu 26.04 LTS. (CVE-2026-54057)

Record
USN-8763-1
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
kitty
Debian: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 less
0.31.0-40.32.0-10.32.1-10.32.2-10.33.0-20.33.1-10.34.1-10.35.1-10.35.2-10.36.1-10.36.4-10.36.4-20.36.4-30.37.0-10.38.1-10.39.0-10.39.1-10.40.0-10.41.1-10.41.1-20.42.1-10.42.2-10.43.1-10.44.0-10.45.0-10.45.0-20.46.1-10.46.2-10.47.0-10.47.0-20.47.0-30.47.3-10.47.4-10.48.2-10.48.2-1.1
None known
kitty
Debian:13
before 0.41.1-2+deb13u2, plus listed versions
0.41.1-20.41.1-2+deb13u1
0.41.1-2+deb13u2
kitty
Debian:14
before 0.47.3-1, plus listed versions
0.41.1-20.42.1-10.42.2-10.43.1-10.44.0-1
Show 7 moreShow less
0.45.0-10.45.0-20.46.1-10.46.2-10.47.0-10.47.0-20.47.0-3
0.47.3-1
kitty
Ubuntu:Pro:24.04:LTS
before 0.32.2-1ubuntu0.4+esm2, plus listed versions
0.26.5-3ubuntu20.26.5-5ubuntu10.31.0-30.31.0-40.32.2-1
Show 7 moreShow less
0.32.2-1build20.32.2-1build30.32.2-1ubuntu0.10.32.2-1ubuntu0.20.32.2-1ubuntu0.30.32.2-1ubuntu0.40.32.2-1ubuntu0.4+esm1
0.32.2-1ubuntu0.4+esm2
kitty
Ubuntu:25.10
All versions, plus listed versions
0.39.1-10.41.1-20.41.1-2+deb13u1build0.25.10.1
None known
kitty
Ubuntu:Pro:26.04:LTS
before 0.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm2, plus listed versions
0.41.1-20.43.1-10.44.0-10.45.0-10.45.0-1build10.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
0.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm2
kitty
Ubuntu:Pro:24.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 4 CVEs
before 0.32.2-1ubuntu0.4+esm2, plus listed versions
0.26.5-3ubuntu20.26.5-5ubuntu10.31.0-30.31.0-40.32.2-1
Show 7 moreShow less
0.32.2-1build20.32.2-1build30.32.2-1ubuntu0.10.32.2-1ubuntu0.20.32.2-1ubuntu0.30.32.2-1ubuntu0.40.32.2-1ubuntu0.4+esm1
0.32.2-1ubuntu0.4+esm2
kitty
Ubuntu:Pro:26.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 4 CVEs
before 0.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm2, plus listed versions
0.41.1-20.43.1-10.44.0-10.45.0-10.45.0-1build10.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
0.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm2

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected, facts
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2026-54055 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.0) in Kitty Project Kitty, published June 12, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.07%, the 0th percentile. Fixed in kitty 0.41.1-2+deb13u2.

References

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