Heap-based Buffer Overflow Affecting kitty package, versions <0.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm1


Severity

Recommended
medium

Based on Ubuntu security rating.

Threat Intelligence

EPSS
0.38% (31st percentile)

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  • Snyk IDSNYK-UBUNTU2604-KITTY-16780787
  • published8 Jun 2026
  • disclosed19 May 2026

Introduced: 19 May 2026

CVE-2026-33633  (opens in a new tab)
CWE-122  (opens in a new tab)

How to fix?

Upgrade Ubuntu:26.04 kitty to version 0.45.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm1 or higher.

NVD Description

Note: Versions mentioned in the description apply only to the upstream kitty package and not the kitty package as distributed by Ubuntu. See How to fix? for Ubuntu:26.04 relevant fixed versions and status.

Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. Versions 0.46.2 and below contain a heap buffer overflow in load_image_data() that allows any process which can write to the terminal's stdin to crash kitty immediately. The vulnerability is triggered by a single APC graphics protocol command with a PNG format declaration (f=100) whose payload exceeds twice the initial buffer capacity. The overflow is attacker-controlled in both length and content, causing DoS and potentially escalation to RCE itself. This issue has been fixed in version 0.47.0.

CVSS Base Scores

version 3.1