CVE-2022-2042

Crash and memory corruption via stale spell pointer

Published Jun 10, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Use-after-free in Vim before 8.2 allows local users to crash the editor or corrupt its process memory through spell commands. In spell_move_to() in src/spell.c, fetching the next line through ml_get_buf() can invalidate line before skipwhite() dereferences that stale pointer. Execution requires user interaction with the affected spell-command path; the stale dereference can interrupt editing and corrupt memory within the Vim process.

CVSS severity7.4
High
EPSS probability1.48%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Vim before 8.2 allows local users to crash the editor or corrupt its process memory through spell commands. In spell_move_to() in src/spell.c, fetching the next line through ml_get_buf() can invalidate line before skipwhite() dereferences that stale pointer. Execution requires user interaction with the affected spell-command path; the stale dereference can interrupt editing and corrupt memory within the Vim process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-2042
Published
Jun 10, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 10, 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

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=unspecified <8.2

Published CVSS scores

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.4huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:L
6.8NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free

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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