Memory corruption via buffer switch during substitution
Published Jun 19, 2022 · Updated Nov 3, 2025
Out-of-bounds write in Vim before 8.2.5126 allows local users to corrupt memory by switching buffers during a substitute expression. The substitution path permits the :script command to change the current buffer while the destination remains locked, so later writes overrun the destination allocation. Exploitation requires execution of a crafted substitute expression; the resulting corruption can crash Vim or compromise its editing process.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds write in Vim before 8.2.5126 allows local users to corrupt memory by switching buffers during a substitute expression. The substitution path permits the :script command to change the current buffer while the destination remains locked, so later writes overrun the destination allocation. Exploitation requires execution of a crafted substitute expression; the resulting corruption can crash Vim or compromise its editing process.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2022-2129
- Published
- Jun 19, 2022
- Updated
- Nov 3, 2025
- Vendor
- Vim
- Product
- Vim
- Classifications
- CWE-787, T1204
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jun 19, 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
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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?
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
- Huntr substitute-expression proof of conceptproof of concept · unverified
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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