Editor crash via invalid quickfix buffer access
Published Sep 4, 2023 · Updated Jun 23, 2026
Use-after-free in Vim before 9.0.1857 allows local users to crash the editor by processing a crafted quickfix command sequence. is_qf_win() checks a window's buffer type without first confirming that an autocommand-triggered buffer change left the pointer valid. The demonstrated sequence crashes Vim; exploitation requires Vim to process attacker-controlled quickfix commands.
Summary
What happened
Use-after-free in Vim before 9.0.1857 allows local users to crash the editor by processing a crafted quickfix command sequence. is_qf_win() checks a window's buffer type without first confirming that an autocommand-triggered buffer change left the pointer valid. The demonstrated sequence crashes Vim; exploitation requires Vim to process attacker-controlled quickfix commands.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-4750
- Published
- Sep 4, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 23, 2026
- Vendor
- Vim
- Product
- Vim
- Classifications
- CWE-416, T1203
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 4, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- 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.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <9.0.1857
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Public exploit references
- bt_quickfix_pocproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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