CVE-2023-46300Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Remote code execution via unsafe terminal responses

Published Oct 22, 2023 · Updated Sep 12, 2024

Improper output escaping in iTerm2 terminal response handling before 3.4.20 allows remote attackers to execute code via crafted output. VT100Terminal returns attacker-controlled titles and control-sequence responses to standard input without removing shell metacharacters, while tmux integration injects linefeeds that submit the assembled command. Exploitation requires a program to print the crafted content in iTerm2; the published zsh chain uses command history and macOS m4 to run a command with the terminal user's privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.17%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper output escaping in iTerm2 terminal response handling before 3.4.20 allows remote attackers to execute code via crafted output. VT100Terminal returns attacker-controlled titles and control-sequence responses to standard input without removing shell metacharacters, while tmux integration injects linefeeds that submit the assembled command. Exploitation requires a program to print the crafted content in iTerm2; the published zsh chain uses command history and macOS m4 to run a command with the terminal user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-46300
Published
Oct 22, 2023
Updated
Sep 12, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-116, T1203
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 22, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 12, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-116Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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