CVE-2023-0512Public exploit

Editor crash via zero-width smooth scrolling

Published Jan 26, 2023 · Updated Mar 31, 2025

Divide by zero in Vim before 9.0.1247 allows local users to crash the editor by enabling smooth scrolling in a narrow window. In adjust_skipcol() in src/move.c, a nonpositive text width reaches later scroll calculations because the function fails to stop when column offsets consume the window width. Exploitation requires user interaction to create multiple narrow splits with 'smoothscroll' enabled, and the demonstrated consequence is termination of the Vim process.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Divide by zero in Vim before 9.0.1247 allows local users to crash the editor by enabling smooth scrolling in a narrow window. In adjust_skipcol() in src/move.c, a nonpositive text width reaches later scroll calculations because the function fails to stop when column offsets consume the window width. Exploitation requires user interaction to create multiple narrow splits with 'smoothscroll' enabled, and the demonstrated consequence is termination of the Vim process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-0512
Published
Jan 26, 2023
Updated
Mar 31, 2025
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-369
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 26, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 31, 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 <9.0.1247

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=unspecified <9.0.1247

Published CVSS scores

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-369Divide By Zero

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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