CVE-2023-4736Public exploit

Arbitrary code execution via current-directory binaries

Published Sep 2, 2023 · Updated Jun 23, 2026

Untrusted search paths in Vim before 9.0.1833 allow local users to execute code by placing a malicious binary in the working directory. Vim runtime gzip, zip, Perl, Ruby, and Zig plugins resolved and invoked helper programs without rejecting executables found in the current directory. Exploitation requires user interaction on Windows, where the current directory is searched implicitly, and the code runs with the invoking user's privileges.

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

Untrusted search paths in Vim before 9.0.1833 allow local users to execute code by placing a malicious binary in the working directory. Vim runtime gzip, zip, Perl, Ruby, and Zig plugins resolved and invoked helper programs without rejecting executables found in the current directory. Exploitation requires user interaction on Windows, where the current directory is searched implicitly, and the code runs with the invoking user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-4736
Published
Sep 2, 2023
Updated
Jun 23, 2026
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-426, T1574.007
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 2, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jun 23, 2026Record 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 <9.0.1833

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=unspecified <9.0.1833

Published CVSS scores

7.8huntr.devCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/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 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-426Untrusted Search Path
T1574.007Path Interception by PATH Environment Variable

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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