Vulnerability Description
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 Score
HIGH
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Kovidgoyal | Kitty | < 0.47.0 |
Related Weaknesses (CWE)
References
- https://github.com/kovidgoyal/kitty/security/advisories/GHSA-w98g-hpvr-r332ExploitMitigationVendor Advisory
FAQ
What is CVE-2026-42851?
CVE-2026-42851 is a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH). 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 em...
How severe is CVE-2026-42851?
CVE-2026-42851 has been rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8/10. Review the CVSS metrics above for detailed severity breakdown.
Is there a patch for CVE-2026-42851?
Check the references section above for vendor advisories and patch information. Affected products include: Kovidgoyal Kitty.