Description
Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions 0.46.2 and below, the handle_compose_command() function in kitty/graphics.c performs bounds validation on composition offsets using unsigned 32-bit arithmetic that is subject to integer wrapping, potentially leading to Heap Buffer Over-Read/Write. An attacker who can write escape sequences to a kitty terminal (e.g., via a malicious file, SSH login banner, or piped content) can supply crafted x_offset/y_offset values that pass the bounds check after wrapping but cause massive out-of-bounds heap memory access in compose_rectangles(). No user interaction is required. No non-default configuration is required. The attacker only needs the ability to produce output in a kitty terminal window. This issue has been fixed in version 0.47.0.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| kovidgoyal | kitty | < 0.47.0 | — |
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 | kitty | 0.47.0-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | kitty | 0.41.1-2+deb13u1 | — |
| Debian 12 | kitty | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 25.10 | kitty | 0.41.1-2+deb13u1build0.25.10.1 | — |
Show 4 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 26.04 LTS | kitty | 0.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm1 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 24.04 LTS | kitty | 0.32.2-1ubuntu0.4+esm1 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 22.04 LTS | kitty | 0.21.2-1ubuntu0.22.04.1+esm1 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | kitty | 0.15.0-1ubuntu0.2+esm1 | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Leap 16.0 | kitty | 0.48.2-bp160.1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:21599-1 |
Advisories 1
- openSUSE-SU-2026:21599-1 Security update for kitty SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Aug 21, 2026