Code execution via duplicated-session hostname overflow
Published Feb 9, 2024 · Updated May 8, 2025
Stack-based buffer overflow in KiTTY 0.76.1.13 and earlier allows context-dependent attackers to execute code via terminal output. The __dt handler in kitty.c uses strcpy to copy an unbounded hostname into a fixed 1,024-byte stack buffer, overwriting adjacent memory. A user must establish an SSH session that renders attacker-controlled output; successful exploitation runs code with the KiTTY user's privileges.
Summary
What happened
Stack-based buffer overflow in KiTTY 0.76.1.13 and earlier allows context-dependent attackers to execute code via terminal output. The __dt handler in kitty.c uses strcpy to copy an unbounded hostname into a fixed 1,024-byte stack buffer, overwriting adjacent memory. A user must establish an SSH session that renders attacker-controlled output; successful exploitation runs code with the KiTTY user's privileges.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-25003
- Published
- Feb 9, 2024
- Updated
- May 8, 2025
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-787, T1203
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 9, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 8, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
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.
Public exploit references
- KiTTY duplicated-session hostname overflow exploitfunctional · demonstrated
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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