CVE-2022-3153Public exploit

Editor crash via unchecked assert_fails string conversion

Published Sep 8, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

NULL pointer dereference in Vim before 9.0.0404 allows local users to crash the editor by supplying invalid assert_fails() arguments. In src/testing.c, f_assert_fails() passes an unchecked NULL result from tv_get_string_buf_chk() to pattern_match() when a list element is not a string. Exploitation requires execution of Vim script containing the invalid argument, and the bounded consequence is termination of that Vim process.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.49%
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 9.0.0404 allows local users to crash the editor by supplying invalid assert_fails() arguments. In src/testing.c, f_assert_fails() passes an unchecked NULL result from tv_get_string_buf_chk() to pattern_match() when a list element is not a string. Exploitation requires execution of Vim script containing the invalid argument, and the bounded consequence is termination of that Vim process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-3153
Published
Sep 8, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-476
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 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 <9.0.0404

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=unspecified <9.0.0404

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.1huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/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 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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference

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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