CVE-2022-2231Public exploit

Editor crash via nested source null dereference

Published Jun 28, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

NULL pointer dereference in Vim before 8.2.5169 allows local users to crash the editor by sourcing a crafted Vim script. In eval0_retarg(), a failed expression evaluation leaves p null, but the error path passes p to skipwhite() while checking for a command separator. Exploitation requires a user to execute the script, and the demonstrated consequence is termination of that Vim process rather than a system-wide outage.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability1.29%
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 8.2.5169 allows local users to crash the editor by sourcing a crafted Vim script. In eval0_retarg(), a failed expression evaluation leaves p null, but the error path passes p to skipwhite() while checking for a command separator. Exploitation requires a user to execute the script, and the demonstrated consequence is termination of that Vim process rather than a system-wide outage.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-2231
Published
Jun 28, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-476, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 28, 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 privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=unspecified <8.2

Published CVSS scores

4.3NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
7.8huntr.dev CNACVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1204.002Malicious File

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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