Kovid Goyal Kitty up to 0.48.x Askpass Escape Code kitty/window.py handle_remote_askpass improper authorization

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as problematic has been identified in Kovid Goyal Kitty up to 0.48.x. This vulnerability affects the function handle_remote_askpass of the file kitty/window.py of the component Askpass Escape Code Handler. Executing a manipulation can lead to improper authorization. This vulnerability is registered as CVE-2026-95835. The attack needs to be launched locally. No exploit is available. Upgrading the affected component is recommended.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Kovid Goyal Kitty up to 0.48.x. It has been declared as problematic. This vulnerability affects the function handle_remote_askpass of the file kitty/window.py of the component Askpass Escape Code Handler. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a improper authorization vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-285. The product does not perform or incorrectly performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Missing Authorization in the askpass escape code handler in kitty from 0.25.0 before 0.49.0 allows a local user other than the one running the terminal to obtain the text typed into a prompt that kitty itself displays, because handle_remote_askpass() in kitty/window.py opens the POSIX shared memory object named in the escape code, parses a prompt definition out of it, and writes the user's answer back into an object of that same name, without at any point checking that the object is owned by the user running kitty or that its permissions exclude other users. The equivalent consumer of the same SharedMemory class in the ssh kitten performs exactly that check; the askpass path did not. The handler is reached through a device control string processed from the byte stream of the window, so the attacker must also cause bytes of their choosing to be displayed by the victim's terminal. Where the POSIX shared memory namespace is shared between the two users, a second local user can create an object with permissions that allow the victim to read and write it, cause the victim's kitty to render a prompt of the attacker's choosing, including a masked password prompt, and read the typed secret back out of the object afterwards. The prompt text is additionally passed to the display without control character sanitisation, so it can overwrite the warning line kitty prints above it. The answer is written by reopening an object of that name when the user answers, rather than through the handle already held. This results in disclosure of a secret typed by the victim to a second local user, and does not require any privilege on the victim's account.

The advisory is shared for download at github.com. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-95835 since 09/22/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack needs to be approached locally. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1548.002.

Upgrading to version 0.49.0 eliminates this vulnerability.

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Productinfo

Vendor

• Kovid Goyal

Name

• Kitty

Version

• 0.1
• 0.2
• 0.3
• 0.4
• 0.5
• 0.6
• 0.7
• 0.8
• 0.9
• 0.10
• 0.11
• 0.12
• 0.13
• 0.14
• 0.15
• 0.16
• 0.17
• 0.18
• 0.19
• 0.20
• 0.21
• 0.22
• 0.23
• 0.24
• 0.25
• 0.26
• 0.27
• 0.28
• 0.29
• 0.30
• 0.31
• 0.32
• 0.33
• 0.34
• 0.35
• 0.36
• 0.37
• 0.38
• 0.39
• 0.40
• 0.41
• 0.42
• 0.43
• 0.44
• 0.45
• 0.46
• 0.47
• 0.48

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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