CVE-2026-42851

Status: AnalyzedHigh (7.8)—

Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions prior to 0.47.0, a program able to write bytes to a kitty terminal — a remote SSH peer, a downloaded file viewed with `cat`, a log line, an email body rendered in `less`, an issue body in a TUI, etc. — can cause kitty to execute attacker-supplied Python inside the running kitty process, with the user's full privileges. There is no approval prompt, no remote-control permission requirement, no shell-integration interaction, no clipboard touch, and no editor interaction. Version 0.47.0 fixes the issue.

CVSS

Version: 3.1
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Base score: 7.8

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.19%
Percentile among all scored CVEs: 8
Score date: 10/6/2026

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

🎯 ATT&CK techniques

How this vulnerability is exploited and what the attacker gains, in MITRE ATT&CK terms.

ExploitationT1203 Exploitation for Client Executionexecution95 %
Primary impactT1059 Command and Scripting Interpreterexecution95 %
Secondary impactT1078 Valid Accountsstealth · persistence · privilege escalation · initial access75 %

UI:R requiere interacción del usuario (abrir archivo, ver log, correo). Ejecución de Python arbitrario en el proceso kitty con privilegios del usuario. Acceso a credenciales vía manipulación del contexto de ejecución.

Inferred by our analysis agent from the official description, CVSS vector and CWE, and checked by a supervisor. May contain errors.

🛡️ ATT&CK mitigations that cover these techniques

Privileged Account Management Application Developer Guidance Active Directory Configuration User Training User Account Management Restrict Web-Based Content

Affected technologies (1)

Kovidgoyal — Kitty

CWEs

CWE-94, CWE-862

References

https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/security/advisories/GHSA-w98g-hpvr-r332

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show

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