CVE-2023-0433

Editor crash via unchecked comment-leader offset

Published Jan 21, 2023 · Updated Apr 2, 2025

Heap buffer overflow in Vim before 9.0.1225 allows context-dependent attackers to crash the editor via a crafted text line. The same_leader() routine in src/textformat.c adds a comment-leader length to a line pointer without verifying that the line is that long, causing an out-of-bounds heap read. A user must load attacker-controlled text and invoke text formatting; SUSE assesses the consequence as an application crash without confidentiality or integrity impact.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.56%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap buffer overflow in Vim before 9.0.1225 allows context-dependent attackers to crash the editor via a crafted text line. The same_leader() routine in src/textformat.c adds a comment-leader length to a line pointer without verifying that the line is that long, causing an out-of-bounds heap read. A user must load attacker-controlled text and invoke text formatting; SUSE assesses the consequence as an application crash without confidentiality or integrity impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-0433
Published
Jan 21, 2023
Updated
Apr 2, 2025
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-122, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 21, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 2, 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified <9.0.1225

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=unspecified <9.0.1225

Published CVSS scores

7.8@huntrdevCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
3.3SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

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 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-122Heap-based Buffer Overflow
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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