CVE-2022-3235Public exploit

Editor crash via stale command-window buffer pointer

Published Sep 18, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Use-after-free in Vim before 9.0.0490 allows local users to crash the editor through command-window interaction. In getcmdline_int, a BufEnter autocommand can free the current buffer while the routine retains a pointer to its b_p_iminsert or b_p_imsearch field, which later code dereferences. Exploitation requires user interaction with the command-line window and a BufEnter autocommand capable of replacing or wiping the buffer; the demonstrated consequence is a process crash.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.51%
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 9.0.0490 allows local users to crash the editor through command-window interaction. In getcmdline_int, a BufEnter autocommand can free the current buffer while the routine retains a pointer to its b_p_iminsert or b_p_imsearch field, which later code dereferences. Exploitation requires user interaction with the command-line window and a BufEnter autocommand capable of replacing or wiping the buffer; the demonstrated consequence is a process crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-3235
Published
Sep 18, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-416, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 18, 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 <9.0.0490

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=unspecified <9.0.0490

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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