CVE-2023-48706
Vim has heap-use-after-free at /src/charset.c:1770:12 in skipwhite
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- GitHub_M
Description
Vim is a UNIX editor that, prior to version 9.0.2121, has a heap-use-after-free vulnerability. When executing a `:s` command for the very first time and using a sub-replace-special atom inside the substitution part, it is possible that the recursive `:s` call causes free-ing of memory which may later then be accessed by the initial `:s` command. The user must intentionally execute the payload and the whole process is a bit tricky to do since it seems to work only reliably for the very first :s command. It may also cause a crash of Vim. Version 9.0.2121 contains a fix for this issue.
Public exploit
An exploit or proof of concept is public: anyone can try it against an unpatched system. CISA's SSVC rates its exploitation: a proof of concept is public.
Timeline
ID reserved
By GitHub_M
- 5 days later
· 5 days later
Published
- 3 years later
· 3 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| GitHub_MCNA (assigner) | 3.1 | Low3.6 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | Medium4.7 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.54% · top 54% of all CVEs (7 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: poc · Automatable: no · Technical impact: partial
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Low 3.6.
Weakness
Affected products
References (8)
- https://github.com/vim/vim/security/advisories/GHSA-c8qm-x72m-q53q (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- https://github.com/vim/vim/pull/13552 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://github.com/vim/vim/commit/26c11c56888d01e298cd8044caf860f3c26f57bb (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://github.com/gandalf4a/crash_report/blob/main/vim/vim_huaf (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/11/22/3 (opens in a new tab)x_transferred
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/DNMFS3IH74KEMMESOA3EOB6MZ56TWGFF/ (opens in a new tab)x_transferred
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[email protected]/message/IVA7K73WHQH4KVFDJQ7ELIUD2WK5ZT5E/ (opens in a new tab)x_transferred
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20240105-0001/ (opens in a new tab)x_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://trackcve.app/cve/CVE-2023-48706)Record last updated .