Command execution via backtick-expanded tag filenames
Published Apr 24, 2026 · Updated Apr 24, 2026
Command injection in Vim before 9.2.0357 allows context-dependent attackers to execute shell commands through a malicious tags file. During tag resolution, expand_tag_fname() passes the filename field to ExpandOne(), which treats backticks as wildcards and sends their contents to the system shell. Execution requires a user to open Vim where the crafted tags file is found and navigate to its malicious tag, after which commands run with the Vim process privileges.
Summary
What happened
Command injection in Vim before 9.2.0357 allows context-dependent attackers to execute shell commands through a malicious tags file. During tag resolution, expand_tag_fname() passes the filename field to ExpandOne(), which treats backticks as wildcards and sends their contents to the system shell. Execution requires a user to open Vim where the crafted tags file is found and navigate to its malicious tag, after which commands run with the Vim process privileges.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-41411
- Published
- Apr 24, 2026
- Updated
- Apr 24, 2026
- Vendor
- Vim
- Product
- Vim
- Classifications
- CWE-78, T1203, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Apr 24, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 24, 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=< 9.2.0357
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Malicious tags-file proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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