CVE-2025-53905Public exploit

Arbitrary file overwrite via unsanitized archive paths

Published Jul 15, 2025 · Updated Nov 4, 2025

Path traversal in Vim's tar.vim plugin before 9.1.1552 allows attackers to overwrite local files through a crafted tar archive. tar.vim accepts absolute or parent-relative archive member paths and writes edited content outside the archive's intended directory. Exploitation requires a user to open the archive, select its malicious member, and save it; writable sensitive or executable files can be replaced with the Vim process's permissions.

CVSS severity4.1
Medium
EPSS probability0.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Vim's tar.vim plugin before 9.1.1552 allows attackers to overwrite local files through a crafted tar archive. tar.vim accepts absolute or parent-relative archive member paths and writes edited content outside the archive's intended directory. Exploitation requires a user to open the archive, select its malicious member, and save it; writable sensitive or executable files can be replaced with the Vim process's permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-53905
Published
Jul 15, 2025
Updated
Nov 4, 2025
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-22, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 15, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 4, 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=< 9.1.1552

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=< 9.1.1552

Published CVSS scores

4.1GitHub Security AdvisoryCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:N/I:L/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.

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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-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1204.002User Execution: Malicious File

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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