Description
In iTerm2 through 3.6.9, displaying a .txt file can cause code execution via DCS 2000p and OSC 135 data, if the working directory contains a malicious file whose name is valid output from the conductor encoding path, such as a pathname with an initial ace/c+ substring, aka "hypothetical in-band signaling abuse." This occurs because iTerm2 accepts the SSH conductor protocol from terminal output that does not originate from a legitimate conductor session.
Metrics
CVSS 3.1 7.8/10
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HWeakness enumeration
Affected software
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| iTerm2 | iTerm2 | <= 3.6.9 |
References
- https://blog.calif.io/p/mad-bugs-even-cat-readmetxt-is-notExploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/gnachman/iTerm2/commit/a9e745993c2e2cbb30b884a16617cd5495899f86Patch
- https://iterm2.com/downloads.htmlProduct
- https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47809190Issue Tracking
Timeline
- Published
- Apr 18, 2026
- Last modified
- Jun 17, 2026
- NVD status
- Analyzed