CVE-2026-54056
HIGHKitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions 0.47.0 and 0.47.1, `kitten dnd` can allow a malicious remote drag-and-drop source to overwrite or truncate arbitrary files…
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Description
Kitty is a cross-platform GPU based terminal. In versions 0.47.0 and 0.47.1, kitten dnd can allow a malicious remote drag-and-drop source to overwrite or truncate arbitrary files writable by the local kitty user. Remote text/uri-list drops are staged in a temporary directory, but on case-sensitive filesystems duplicate remote basenames are not de-duplicated. An attacker can first create a staged symlink and then send a same-name regular-file entry. The regular-file write uses utils.CreateAt() / openat(O_RDWR|O_CREAT|O_TRUNC) without O_NOFOLLOW, so it follows the attacker-created symlink and writes outside the staging directory before final overwrite confirmation runs. This appears related in class to the file-transfer symlink advisory, but it is a different bug: it affects kitten dnd remote drag-and-drop staging, uses different vulnerable code (kittens/dnd/drop.go and tools/utils/file_at_fd.go), and reproduces on commit 4aa4a5c0567a92553a8c20a88a4352da637fca5d, after the file-transfer O_NOFOLLOW fix. Version 0.47.2 patches the issue.
Affected Products
kittykovidgoyalDetection & mitigation playbook
Vendor / applianceDetect
Inventory every kovidgoyal kitty deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above. Because the exploit targets the running system rather than your application code, also watch for exploitation at the network and runtime layer — O3 flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic even before a vulnerable build is confirmed.
Fix
Apply the kovidgoyal kitty security patch or hotfix for CVE-2026-54056 on the affected version, following the vendor advisory for your exact build.
Workarounds
Cut exposure now: restrict the management/admin interface to trusted networks, segment the device, and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations and any WAF/IPS signature. O3's runtime protection blocks the exploit chain at execution, holding the line on unpatched or end-of-life systems until you can patch.
How O3 protects you
O3 detects and blocks CVE-2026-54056 exploitation at runtime: eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches the post-exploitation callback and severs the attacker's outbound channel.
Tailored to CVE-2026-54056. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2026-54056 being exploited in your environment?
O3's eBPF runtime sensors and L7 egress monitoring detect and block the CVE-2026-54056 exploit chain at execution — protecting unpatched and end-of-life systems until the vendor patch is applied.