Vim 3.0 through 7.x before 7.2.010 does not properly escape characters, which allows…
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- — Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
- Attack complexity
- Medium
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- Complete · Complete · Complete
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
Vim 3.0 through 7.x before 7.2.010 does not properly escape characters, which allows user-assisted attackers to (1) execute arbitrary shell commands by entering a K keystroke on a line that contains a ";" (semicolon) followed by a command, or execute arbitrary Ex commands by entering an argument after a (2) "Ctrl-]" (control close-square-bracket) or (3) "g]" (g close-square-bracket) keystroke sequence, a different issue than CVE-2008-2712.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 19
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | up to 7.2 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.0 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.0 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.0 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.1 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.2 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.3 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.4 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.5 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.6 | Vulnerable | vim |
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 7.2 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.0 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.0 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.0 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.1 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.2 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.3 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.4 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.5 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.6 Vulnerable ·vim
Show 9 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.7 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.8 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.0 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.1 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.2 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.3 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:6.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.4 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | vim |
| cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.1 | Vulnerable | vim |
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.7 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:5.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.8 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.0 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.2 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.3 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:6.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.4 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·vim
- cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.1 Vulnerable ·vim
Remediation
Red Hat 3 advisories
- RHSA-2008:0618 Released 2008-11-25 · Red Hat rating Moderatevim security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1 vim-1:6.0-7.25, vim-X11-1:6.0-7.25.i386, vim-X11-1:6.0-7.25.ia64 +6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 2.1 vim-1:6.0-7.25, vim-X11-1:6.0-7.25.i386, vim-common-1:6.0-7.25.i386 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 2.1 vim-1:6.0-7.25, vim-X11-1:6.0-7.25.i386, vim-common-1:6.0-7.25.i386 +2
- Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation 2.1 vim-1:6.0-7.25, vim-X11-1:6.0-7.25.ia64, vim-common-1:6.0-7.25.ia64 +2
- RHSA-2008:0617 Released 2008-11-25 · Red Hat rating Moderatevim security update
- Red Hat Desktop version 3 vim-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11.i386 +6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 3 vim-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11.i386 +14
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 vim-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z.i386 +14
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 vim-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z.i386 +6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 3 vim-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11.i386 +10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 vim-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z.i386 +10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 3 vim-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-0.30E.11.i386 +10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 vim-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z, vim-X11-1:6.3.046-1.el4_7.5z.i386 +10
- RHSA-2008:0580 Released 2008-11-25 · Red Hat rating Moderatevim security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server) vim-2:7.0.109-4.el5_2.4z, vim-X11-2:7.0.109-4.el5_2.4z, vim-X11-2:7.0.109-4.el5_2.4z.i386 +14
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) vim-2:7.0.109-4.el5_2.4z, vim-X11-2:7.0.109-4.el5_2.4z, vim-X11-2:7.0.109-4.el5_2.4z.i386 +6
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Desktop version 3 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0617 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server) | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0580 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS (Advanced Server) version 2.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0618 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 3 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0617 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0617 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0580 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0617 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 2.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0618 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 3 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0617 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0617 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 2.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0618 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 3 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0617 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0617 |
| Red Hat Linux Advanced Workstation 2.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2008:0618 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2008-4101
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-2gqj-jjm7-f6m7
References
Exploit 2
Patch 2
Advisory 7
Other 17
- http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2009-0004.html
- [oss-security] 20080915 Re: [oss-list] CVE request (vim)
- [oss-security] 20080911 Re: [oss-list] CVE request (vim)
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:10894
- [oss-security] 20080915 Re: [oss-list] CVE request (vim)
- http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2009-001.htm
- ADV-2009-0904
- ADV-2009-0033
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=461927
- http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2008-457.htm
- http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4077
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:5812
- http://groups.google.com/group/vim_dev/attach/9290f26f9bc11b33/K-arbitrary-command-execution.patch.v3?part=2
- [oss-security] 20080911 [oss-list] CVE request (vim)
- ADV-2008-2780
- http://www.rdancer.org/vulnerablevim-K.html
- http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3216
More Vim vulnerabilities
- TI-2022-03248 Heap-based Buffer Overflow in vim/vim CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2024-15103 Vim before 9.0.2142 has a stack-based buffer overflow because did_set_langmap in map.c… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2023-05093 Use After Free in vim/vim CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2023-04407 Heap-based Buffer Overflow in vim/vim CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2023-04379 Heap-based Buffer Overflow in vim/vim CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2023-04378 Use After Free in vim/vim CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
Sources
- CVE-2008-4101 · CVE Program
- CVE-2008-4101 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-2gqj-jjm7-f6m7 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2008-4101 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences