Description
App::Ack versions through 3.10.0 for Perl print unsanitised terminal escape sequences from filenames in several output modes.
When ack prints a filename whose basename contains terminal control bytes such as ANSI escape sequences, those bytes reach the terminal unchanged. Version 3.10.0 added a _safe_filename helper that sanitises the filenames printed by -f, -g, the colored match heading, and per-match lines, but the --show-types, -l/-L, and -c paths still emit the raw filename.
A file whose name embeds cursor-movement or color escapes can overwrite or recolor earlier terminal output, or be passed unchanged to a downstream consumer.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| PETDANCE | App::Ack | ≤ 3.10.0 | — |
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 | ack | 3.10.0-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | ack | No fix yet | — |
| Debian 12 | ack | No fix yet | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.10 | ack | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | ack | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | ack | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | ack | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | ack | No fix yet | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | ack | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | ack | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | ack | 3.10.0-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2026:10965-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | ack | 3.10.0-r0 | — |
Advisories 1
- openSUSE-SU-2026:10965-1 ack-3.10.0-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Jun 9, 2026