CVE-2026-41253
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…
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.20%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
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.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.20% probability · 10th percentile
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-829
- Affected
- iterm2/iterm2
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
References
- https://blog.calif.io/p/mad-bugs-even-cat-readmetxt-is-notExploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/gnachman/iTerm2/commit/a9e745993c2e2cbb30b884a16617cd5495899f86Patch
- https://iterm2.com/downloads.htmlProduct
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47809190Issue Tracking
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA. Refreshed daily.