CVE-2022-1616

Memory corruption via incomplete multibyte bounds check

Published May 7, 2022 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Buffer overflow in Vim before 8.2.4895 allows local users to crash the editor or corrupt memory by processing crafted command input. The append_command function can copy a multibyte composing character into the fixed-size IObuff without confirming that the whole character fits. A user must make Vim process an invalid command containing composing characters; successful triggering can overwrite memory and terminate the process.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability2.71%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Buffer overflow in Vim before 8.2.4895 allows local users to crash the editor or corrupt memory by processing crafted command input. The append_command function can copy a multibyte composing character into the fixed-size IObuff without confirming that the whole character fits. A user must make Vim process an invalid command containing composing characters; successful triggering can overwrite memory and terminate the process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-1616
Published
May 7, 2022
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-416, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 7, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 3, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <8.2.4895

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=unspecified <8.2.4895

Published CVSS scores

3.6Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
7.3huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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