CVE-2022-1620Public exploit

Application crash via invalid buffer pattern

Published May 8, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

NULL pointer dereference in Vim before 8.2.4901 allows attackers to crash the editor through a crafted invalid buffer pattern. When fname_match receives a pattern that fails to compile, it retries home-directory substitution even though rmp->regprog is NULL, and the retry dereferences that pointer. Triggering the flaw requires Vim to process the invalid pattern during buffer selection; the bounded consequence is an application crash.

CVSS severity6.6
Medium
EPSS probability1.59%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Vim before 8.2.4901 allows attackers to crash the editor through a crafted invalid buffer pattern. When fname_match receives a pattern that fails to compile, it retries home-directory substitution even though rmp->regprog is NULL, and the retry dereferences that pointer. Triggering the flaw requires Vim to process the invalid pattern during buffer selection; the bounded consequence is an application crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-1620
Published
May 8, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-476
Attack vector
Unavailable
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 8, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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 <8.2.4901

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorUnavailable in this record.
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=unspecified <8.2.4901

Published CVSS scores

6.6huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H
5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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)
VectorUnavailable
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference

Public exploit references

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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