# CVE-2006-7236: Misconfiguration in n/a

> User-assisted attackers can execute arbitrary code via escape sequences due to the default allowWindowOps setting in Debian's xterm.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Jan 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2006-7236, GHSA-9r87-p9p6-pqp9

## What is CVE-2006-7236?

CVE-2006-7236 is a critical vulnerability in n/a, published on 2 Jan 2009. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The default configuration of xterm on Debian GNU/Linux sid and possibly Ubuntu enables the allowWindowOps resource, which allows user-assisted attackers to execute arbitrary code or have unspecified other impact via escape sequences.

Weakness: CWE-16

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2006-7236?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Invisible-Island Xterm.

## How do I fix CVE-2006-7236?

Change a configuration setting.

## Is CVE-2006-7236 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2006-7236 exists.

Public exploit code:

- xterm - DECRQSS Remote Command Execution (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2023-40359](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40359/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2008-2383](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-2383/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2006-7236 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2006-7236 is a critical vulnerability in n/a, published on 2 Jan 2009. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2006-7236 exists.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-7236/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-7236/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2006-7236
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2006-7236
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2006-7236

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-7236/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.