Description
NetHack before version 3.6.0 allowed malicious use of escaping of characters in the configuration file (usually .nethackrc) which could be exploited. This bug is patched in NetHack 3.6.0.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| NetHack | NetHack | < 3.6.0 | — |
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | nethack | 3.6.0-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | nethack | 3.6.0-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | nethack | 3.6.0-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | nethack | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | nethack | 3.4.3-6.1 | openSUSE-SU-2025:14898-1 |
Advisories 1
- openSUSE-SU-2025:14898-1 nethack-3.4.3-6.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026