CVE-2022-0729Public exploit

Editor crash via first-line regex backtracking

Published Feb 23, 2022 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Out-of-range pointer arithmetic in Vim before 8.2.4440 allows local users to crash the editor with crafted regular-expression input. In src/regexp_bt.c, regmatch() backs up from the start of the first line and decrements rex.lnum below zero instead of returning no match. The trigger requires a local Vim invocation that processes a specific pattern and string; the documented consequence is an editor crash, not code execution.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability1.62%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-range pointer arithmetic in Vim before 8.2.4440 allows local users to crash the editor with crafted regular-expression input. In src/regexp_bt.c, regmatch() backs up from the start of the first line and decrements rex.lnum below zero instead of returning no match. The trigger requires a local Vim invocation that processes a specific pattern and string; the documented consequence is an editor crash, not code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-0729
Published
Feb 23, 2022
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-823, CWE-119, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 23, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <8.2.4440

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=unspecified <8.2.4440

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/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.

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No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-823Use of Out-of-range Pointer Offset
CWE-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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