CVE-2026-73078Network attack vector

Arbitrary command execution via Netrw menu injection

Published Aug 11, 2026 · Updated Aug 11, 2026

Command injection in Vim before 9.2.0840 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands through crafted Netrw directory paths. The GUI menu builders interpolate those paths into executed :menu commands without escaping the | separator or single quotes, so appended Ex and shell commands run. Exploitation requires menus-enabled GUI Vim and a victim to browse or bookmark an attacker-controlled path; commands run with the Vim user's privileges.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability0.34%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Command injection in Vim before 9.2.0840 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands through crafted Netrw directory paths. The GUI menu builders interpolate those paths into executed :menu commands without escaping the | separator or single quotes, so appended Ex and shell commands run. Exploitation requires menus-enabled GUI Vim and a victim to browse or bookmark an attacker-controlled path; commands run with the Vim user's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-73078
Published
Aug 11, 2026
Updated
Aug 11, 2026
Vendor
Vim
Product
Vim
Classifications
CWE-77, CWE-184, T1059
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 11, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 9.2.0840

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Vim · Vimversion=< 9.2.0840

Published CVSS scores

8.6GitHub, Inc.CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-77Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
CWE-184Incomplete List of Disallowed Inputs
T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo