CVE-2026-42851: Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal

Q: How do I fix CVE-2026-42851?

kitty: upgrade to 0.47.0. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2026-42851 being exploited?

CVE-2026-42851 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2026-42851 affect?

CVE-2026-42851 affects kitty. Severity is high (CVSS 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 bo

Q: How urgent is CVE-2026-42851?

Priority 34/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

Routine

HIGH 7.8UPGRADE

CVE-2026-42851 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.8) affecting kitty. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

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,

Why this priority

High severity
Public exploit reference

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.8 (High)
Attack vector	Local
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	None
User interaction	Required
EPSS exploit chance	0.2% (top 94%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-94, CWE-862
Published	2026-06-12
Last modified	2026-10-26

Publisher (CNA): GitHub, Inc. · Vendor: kovidgoyal

Last updated 2026-10-26 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2026-06-12 20:16 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-10-26 11:10 UTCUpdated Record last modified

kovidgoyal kitty UPGRADE

Affected: < 0.47.0

Fixed in: 0.47.0

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy kitty || rpm -q kitty || kitty --version

2. UPGRADE to 0.47.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade kitty

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade kitty

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2026-42851?

kitty: upgrade to 0.47.0. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2026-42851 being exploited?

CVE-2026-42851 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2026-42851 affect?

CVE-2026-42851 affects kitty. Severity is high (CVSS 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 bo

How urgent is CVE-2026-42851?

Priority 34/100. High severity; Public exploit reference

Software pages

Python vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2026-42850 HIGH 8.8 UPGRADE Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal
CVE-2026-54055 MEDIUM 5.0 UPGRADE Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal
CVE-2026-54056 HIGH 7.6 UPGRADE Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal
CVE-2026-54057 HIGH 7.8 UPGRADE Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal

References

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