Vim has Heap-based Buffer Underflow in Emacs tags parsing
vim · vim
5.3MediumCVSS 3.1
Recommended action
Scheduled
Medium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority.
Patch available
Distribution package intelligence
Ubuntu vendor package status
Canonical’s release and source-package findings are shown separately from local repository availability.
1 package state
Repository candidate not checked
A published vendor fix does not prove that a matching update is enabled and installable on a particular asset. Confirm the local package candidate before scheduling remediation.
Ubuntu release
Source package
Vendor state
Fixed version
Evidence
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSnoble · standard archive
vim
Vendor fix publishedCanonical reports that a fixed source package version has been published. Repository candidate availability is not checked by BlackTree.
Structured product status and remediation from the issuing vendor. Product-state explanations are always visible; large lists can be searched or downloaded.
1 current
CVE-2026-28419 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 3 · finalRed Hat Product Securityvim: Vim: Information disclosure and denial of service via malformed tags file
34 known affected
The vendor explicitly identifies these products as affected by this CVE.
vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
vim-data as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
vim-minimal as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
vim.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
xxd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
Summary
A flaw was found in Vim, an open-source command-line text editor. This vulnerability, a heap-based buffer underflow, occurs when Vim processes a specially crafted Emacs-style tags file. If a malicious file with a delimiter at the start of a line is opened, Vim attempts to read memory outside its designated area. This could lead to the disclosure of sensitive information or cause the application to crash, resulting in a denial of service.
Remediation
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.
Optional official sources
National CERT insights ?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.
Select the national-authority views to include. The exact source language is shown on each matched advisory. Your choice is remembered on this device and encoded in the shareable URL.
Official European source
ENISA European Vulnerability Database
Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.
1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier
EUVD-2026-9087
No EUVD known-exploited evidence
ENISA has published the identifier mapping but no EUVD description has been stored yet.
EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Not present in the current ENISA EUVD known-exploited dataset. This is not proof of no exploitation.
ENISA score
Not supplied in the stored EUVD record
Advisory evidence
No linked advisory details stored yet
Recommended actionScheduled
Medium technical severity with no CISA KEV confirmation; remediate through the normal risk-based patch cycle unless local exposure raises the priority.
Patch available
01
What, why and how
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to version 9.2.0075, a heap-based buffer underflow exists in Vim's Emacs-style tags file parsing logic. When processing a malformed tags file where a delimiter appears at the start of a line, Vim attempts to read memory immediately preceding the allocated buffer. Version 9.2.0075 fixes the issue.
What
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to version 9.2.0075, a heap-based buffer underflow exists in Vim's Emacs-style tags file parsing logic. When processing a malformed tags file where a delimiter appears at the start of a line, Vim attempts to read memory immediately preceding the allocated buffer. Version 9.2.0075 fixes the issue.
Why
The product writes to a buffer using an index or pointer that references a memory location prior to the beginning of the buffer.
How
An attacker operating through local access may attempt exploitation without authentication after a user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
What
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to version 9.2.0075, a heap-based buffer underflow exists in Vim's Emacs-style tags file parsing logic. When processing a malformed tags file where a delimiter appears at the start of a line, Vim attempts to read memory immediately preceding the allocated buffer. Version 9.2.0075 fixes the issue.
Why
The product writes to a buffer using an index or pointer that references a memory location prior to the beginning of the buffer.
How
An attacker operating through local access may attempt exploitation without authentication after a user interaction. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.
02
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
Observed exploitation ?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No confirmed evidence
No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
Public PoC / exploit material ?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.None recorded
No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.
Likely attack path
local access → Buffer Underwrite ('Buffer Underflow') → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
Attack surface
Local
Privileges required
None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
User interaction
Required interaction required
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness ?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-124: Buffer Underwrite ('Buffer Underflow'). The product writes to a buffer using an index or pointer that references a memory location prior to the beginning of the buffer.
CVSS vector ?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVLocalAttack vector: The attacker needs local access to the vulnerable system.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UIRequiredUser interaction: Another user must perform an action for exploitation to succeed.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CLowConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.ILowIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.ALowAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
The issue can support a local privilege or sandbox boundary transition; normal system utilities may then be available in the gained context.
UnauthenticatedCWE-124
A
Official authority intelligence
Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.
Ein lokaler Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in vim ausnutzen, um beliebigen Code auszuführen, einen Denial-of-Service-Zustand zu verursachen oder Daten zu manipulieren.
Official advisory ↗CERT-FR · French · CERTFR-2026-AVI-0326Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits VMware
Official advisory ↗CERT-FR · French · CERTFR-2026-AVI-0232Multiples vulnérabilités dans les produits Microsoft
De multiples vulnérabilités ont été découvertes dans les produits Microsoft. Elles permettent à un attaquant de provoquer un problème de sécurité non spécifié par l'éditeur.
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
Status ?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Review the linked authoritative reference and apply the recorded fixed release appropriate to the affected product branch.
Workaround
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 27 Feb 2026 · Last source change 2 Mar 2026, 21:54 UTC · CWE-124 · Buffer Underwrite ('Buffer Underflow')
CVE recordCVE.org · 5.2
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source ?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-9087
Product sourceVendor CSAF · Red Hat Product Security
Remediation sourceVendor CSAF · Red Hat Product Security
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD enriched
Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
Before
vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-data as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-minimal as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; xxd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim-minimal as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim-minimal as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim-minimal as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; and 3 more
After
vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-data as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-minimal as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; xxd as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim-minimal as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim-minimal as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim-minimal as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim.src as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; vim-X11 as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; vim-common as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; vim-enhanced as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; vim-filesystem as a component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; and 4 more
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.
CVE-2026-28419: Vim has Heap-based Buffer Underflow in Emacs tags parsing | BlackTree
