Description
xterm before 375 allows code execution via font ops, e.g., because an OSC 50 response may have Ctrl-g and therefore lead to command execution within the vi line-editing mode of Zsh. NOTE: font ops are not allowed in the xterm default configurations of some Linux distributions.
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 | xterm | 375-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | xterm | 375-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | xterm | 375-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | xterm | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | xterm | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | xterm | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | xterm | No fix yet | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 9 | xterm +1 | 366-10.el9_6 | RHSA-2025:7427 |
AlmaLinux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux 9 | xterm +1 | 366-10.el9_6 | ALSA-2025:7427 |
Rocky Linux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Linux 9 | xterm | 366-10.el9_6 | RLSA-2025:7427 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP4 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SLES 15 SP3 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SLES 15 SP2 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SLES 15 SP1 | xterm | 330-150000.4.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0173-1 |
| SLES 12 SP5 | xterm | 308-5.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0582-1 |
Show 19 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP4 | xterm | 308-5.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0582-1 |
| SLES 12 SP2 | xterm | 308-5.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0582-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP3 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP2 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP1 | xterm | 330-150000.4.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0173-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP5 | xterm | 308-5.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0582-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP4 | xterm | 308-5.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0582-1 |
| SLE Real Time 15 SP3 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP3 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP2 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP1 | xterm | 330-150000.4.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0173-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9 | xterm | 308-5.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0582-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 9 | xterm | 308-5.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0582-1 |
| SUSE Manager Server 4.2 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SUSE Manager Retail Branch Server 4.2 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 4.2 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 7.1 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 7 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 6 | xterm | 330-150000.4.6.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0173-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | xterm | 375-2.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:12505-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.4 | xterm | 330-150200.11.9.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 |
Azure Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure Linux 2 (CBL-Mariner) | xterm | 380-1 | — |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 9 | xterm +1 | 366-10.el9_6 | ELSA-2025-7427 |
Advisories 10
- WID-SEC-2022-2021 xterm: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Codeausführung BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Oct 29, 2026
- ALSA-2025:7427 Low: xterm security update AlmaLinux Security Advisories · Oct 29, 2026
- RHSA-2025:7427 Red Hat Security Advisory: xterm security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Aug 27, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2023:0582-1 Security update for xterm SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2023:0173-1 Security update for xterm SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:12505-1 xterm-375-2.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- RLSA-2025:7427 Low: xterm security update Rocky Linux Security Advisories · Oct 7, 2025
- ELSA-2025-7427 Low: xterm security update (Oracle Linux 9) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · May 21, 2025
- SUSE-SU-2023:0221-1 Security update for xterm SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
- WID-SEC-2023-0561 Xerox FreeFlow Print Server: Mehrere Schwachstellen BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · May 18, 2023
References
- https://invisible-island.net/xterm/xterm.log.html
- https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/11/10/1
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33546415
- [oss-security] 20221110 CVE-2022-45063: xterm <375 code execution via font ops mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20221110 Re: CVE-2022-45063: xterm <375 code execution via font ops mailing-list
- FEDORA-2022-681bbe67b6 vendor-advisory
- GLSA-202211-09 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2022-8cf76a9ceb vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2022-af5f1eee2c vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20240615 iTerm2 3.5.x title reporting bug mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20240617 Re: iTerm2 3.5.x title reporting bug mailing-list