Vim: Out-of-bounds Read in Terminal Screen Snapshot
vim · vim
6.9MediumCVSS 4.0
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-2026-52859 · CSAF 2.0 · revision 3 · finalRed Hat Product Securityvim: Vim: Denial of Service via out-of-bounds write in terminal handling
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 allows a program displaying output in a Vim terminal window to trigger an out-of-bounds write by sending a specific byte sequence. This can lead to a crash of the Vim application, resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS) for the user.
Remediation
Users should exercise caution when opening untrusted files or executing untrusted programs within vim's `:terminal` window. Avoiding interaction with untrusted content in this context can prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability, which leads to a denial of service.
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-2026-36283
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 9.2.0565, the update_snapshot() function in src/terminal.c copies the visible terminal screen into the scrollback buffer when a snapshot is taken. For each screen cell it walks the cell's chars[] array with no upper bound, stopping only when it encounters a NUL terminator. When a cell legitimately fills all VTERM_MAX_CHARS_PER_CELL (6) slots — a base character plus five combining marks — the bundled libvterm returns the array without a terminating NUL, so the loop reads past the fixed six-element array and appends the out-of-bounds values to a buffer reserved for only six characters. A program whose output is rendered inside a :terminal window can trigger this with a short byte sequence and no Vim scripting, leading to a crash. This issue has been patched in version 9.2.0565.
What
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to version 9.2.0565, the update_snapshot() function in src/terminal.c copies the visible terminal screen into the scrollback buffer when a snapshot is taken. For each screen cell it walks the cell's chars[] array with no upper bound, stopping only when it encounters a NUL terminator. When a cell legitimately fills all VTERM_MAX_CHARS_PER_CELL (6) slots — a base character plus five combining marks — the bundled libvterm returns the array without a terminating NUL, so the loop reads past the fixed six-element array and appends the out-of-bounds values to a buffer reserved for only six characters. A program whose output is rendered inside a :terminal window can trigger this with a short byte sequence and no Vim scripting, leading to a crash. This issue has been patched in version 9.2.0565.
Why
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.
What
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to version 9.2.0565, the update_snapshot() function in src/terminal.c copies the visible terminal screen into the scrollback buffer when a snapshot is taken. For each screen cell it walks the cell's chars[] array with no upper bound, stopping only when it encounters a NUL terminator. When a cell legitimately fills all VTERM_MAX_CHARS_PER_CELL (6) slots — a base character plus five combining marks — the bundled libvterm returns the array without a terminating NUL, so the loop reads past the fixed six-element array and appends the out-of-bounds values to a buffer reserved for only six characters. A program whose output is rendered inside a :terminal window can trigger this with a short byte sequence and no Vim scripting, leading to a crash. This issue has been patched in version 9.2.0565.
Why
The product reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
How
An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation without authentication or user interaction. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.
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
a network path → Out-of-bounds Read → disrupt the affected service
Attack surface
Network
Privileges required
None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Not a CVSS 4.0 base metric
Weakness ?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System 4.0: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.ATNoneAttack requirements: No additional deployment or execution condition is required.PRNonePrivileges required: The attacker does not need an account or existing privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.VCLowVulnerable-system confidentiality: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.VINoneVulnerable-system integrity: No direct loss is represented by this metric.VALowVulnerable-system availability: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.SCNoneSubsequent-system confidentiality: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SINoneSubsequent-system integrity: No direct loss is represented by this metric.SANoneSubsequent-system availability: No direct loss is represented by this metric.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
NetworkUnauthenticatedDenial of serviceCWE-125
A
Official authority intelligence
Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.
ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2026-36283Official EUVD mapping
0 linked advisory records.
Official EUVD recordBSI · German · WID-SEC-W-2026-1759vim: Mehrere Schwachstellen
Ein lokaler Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in vim ausnutzen, um Code auszuführen und um einen Denial of Service Zustand herbeizuführen.
Official advisoryCERT-FR · French · CERTFR-2026-AVI-0753Multiples vulnérabilités dans Microsoft Azure
De multiples vulnérabilités ont été découvertes dans Microsoft Azure. 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.
Patch available
Affected
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
Fixed
An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
Action
Review the linked authoritative reference and apply the recorded fixed release appropriate to the affected product branch.
Workaround
Users should exercise caution when opening untrusted files or executing untrusted programs within vim's `:terminal` window. Avoiding interaction with untrusted content in this context can prevent the exploitation of this vulnerability, which leads to a denial of service.
04
Evidence and provenance
Published 11 Jun 2026 · Last source change 11 Jun 2026, 19:38 UTC · CWE-125 · Out-of-bounds Read
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-2026-36283
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-2026-52859: Vim: Out-of-bounds Read in Terminal Screen Snapshot | BlackTree
