CVE-2025-53906Public exploit

Arbitrary file overwrite via unsanitized archive paths

Published Jul 15, 2025 · Updated Apr 1, 2026

Path traversal in Vim before 9.1.1551 allows attackers to overwrite arbitrary files by editing a crafted zip archive. The zip#Write function accepts leading ../ components from an archive member name and writes the buffer with :w! outside its temporary directory. Exploitation requires a user to open the archive, select the malicious member, and save it; resulting writes inherit the Vim process's permissions.

CVSS severity4.1
Medium
EPSS probability0.75%
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 before 9.1.1551 allows attackers to overwrite arbitrary files by editing a crafted zip archive. The zip#Write function accepts leading ../ components from an archive member name and writes the buffer with :w! outside its temporary directory. Exploitation requires a user to open the archive, select the malicious member, and save it; resulting writes inherit the Vim process's permissions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-53906
Published
Jul 15, 2025
Updated
Apr 1, 2026
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. Apr 1, 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=< 9.1.1551

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=< 9.1.1551

Published CVSS scores

4.1GitHubCVSS: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')
T1204.002Malicious 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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