CVE-2026-88514 in iTerm2
Summary
by MITRE • 10/07/2026
An issue in iTerm2 macOS before 3.6.12 allows a local attacker to obtain sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/07/2026
The vulnerability identified within versions of iTerm2 prior to release 3.6.12 represents a significant security flaw that compromises the confidentiality of user data on macOS systems. As a widely used terminal emulator for Apple's operating system, iTerm2 serves as a primary interface for developers and system administrators to interact with command-line tools, manage remote servers, and execute complex scripts. The core issue lies in how the application handles sensitive information locally, allowing an attacker who has gained access to the user's session or device to extract data that should remain private. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it exploits trust relationships within the local environment rather than relying on external network attacks, making detection and prevention more challenging for standard security monitoring tools.
From a technical perspective, this flaw aligns with CWE-200, which categorizes information exposure vulnerabilities where an application inadvertently discloses sensitive data to unauthorized actors. In the context of terminal emulators, such disclosures often stem from improper handling of clipboard contents, session logs, environment variables, or cached authentication tokens. An attacker leveraging local access could potentially exploit these mechanisms to harvest credentials, API keys, private SSH keys, or other high-value targets stored in plain text within the application's memory or temporary files. The lack of strict isolation between different terminal sessions or insufficient sanitization of copied data can lead to scenarios where sensitive strings are left accessible through standard operating system APIs that any local process might query.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, particularly for users who handle confidential business logic, proprietary codebases, or secure infrastructure configurations within their terminal workflows. If an attacker successfully exploits this flaw, they may achieve partial system compromise by acquiring credentials that grant access to remote servers, cloud environments, or internal databases. This can lead to further lateral movement across the network, data exfiltration, and potential regulatory violations depending on the nature of the exposed information. For organizations relying on iTerm2 for daily operations, this vulnerability introduces a persistent risk vector that undermines the security posture established by other controls such as endpoint detection and response systems or multi-factor authentication protocols.
To mitigate these risks, it is imperative to upgrade immediately to version 3.6.12 or later of iTerm2, where the developers have addressed the underlying code defects responsible for this information leakage. In addition to applying software updates, users should adopt a defense-in-depth strategy by avoiding the storage of sensitive credentials in plain text within shell profiles or scripts executed through the terminal. Utilizing dedicated secret management tools and ensuring that clipboard contents are cleared after use can further reduce the attack surface. Security teams should also monitor for unusual local process activity that attempts to read from iTerm2's memory space or access its temporary directories, as this may indicate active exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in unpatched environments. Adhering to these practices ensures that the convenience and power of advanced terminal emulators do not come at the expense of critical data confidentiality.