Local denial of service via Ex-mode buffer under-allocation
Published Jan 26, 2022 · Updated Nov 3, 2025
Heap-based buffer overflow in Vim before 8.2 allows local users to crash the editor via Ex mode with an oversized tabstop value. The init_ccline function in src/ex_getln.c under-allocates the command buffer when Ex mode handles a large tabstop-derived indent, allowing writes beyond the heap allocation. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction to run the triggering Ex-mode operation; the demonstrated consequence is a Vim process crash.
Summary
What happened
Heap-based buffer overflow in Vim before 8.2 allows local users to crash the editor via Ex mode with an oversized tabstop value. The init_ccline function in src/ex_getln.c under-allocates the command buffer when Ex mode handles a large tabstop-derived indent, allowing writes beyond the heap allocation. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction to run the triggering Ex-mode operation; the demonstrated consequence is a Vim process crash.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-0359
- Published
- Jan 26, 2022
- Updated
- Nov 3, 2025
- Vendor
- Vim
- Product
- Vim
- Classifications
- CWE-122, T1203
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 26, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 3, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <8.2
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo