CVE-2026-51401

Process crash via unchecked realloc failure

Published Aug 4, 2026 · Updated Aug 4, 2026

A reported NULL pointer dereference in Vim 9.2.0389 and earlier allows local users to crash OpenVMS builds during filename processing. In src/os_vms.c, vms_fixfilename() assigns vim_realloc() directly to its static buffer and then uses that pointer in string-copy operations without checking for NULL. The claim requires an OpenVMS build, filename or path handling, and allocation failure; Ubuntu disputes the report as apparently AI-generated.

CVSS severity7.7
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A reported NULL pointer dereference in Vim 9.2.0389 and earlier allows local users to crash OpenVMS builds during filename processing. In src/os_vms.c, vms_fixfilename() assigns vim_realloc() directly to its static buffer and then uses that pointer in string-copy operations without checking for NULL. The claim requires an OpenVMS build, filename or path handling, and allocation failure; Ubuntu disputes the report as apparently AI-generated.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-51401
Published
Aug 4, 2026
Updated
Aug 4, 2026
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-94
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 4, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.7UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
2.5Amazon LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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