CVE-2022-2175 in vim
Summary
by MITRE • 06/23/2022
Buffer Over-read in GitHub repository vim/vim prior to 8.2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/24/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2175 represents a critical buffer over-read condition affecting the popular vim text editor repository prior to version 8.2. This issue manifests within the vim codebase and constitutes a fundamental memory safety flaw that can lead to unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation. The vulnerability resides in the editor's handling of certain input data structures, specifically when processing specific command sequences or file formats that trigger improper memory access patterns. Such buffer over-read conditions occur when the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data or enabling arbitrary code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the vim editor's internal parsing mechanisms that fail to properly validate input boundaries when processing certain text operations or command invocations. This flaw typically occurs during the handling of malformed input or specific combinations of commands that cause the application to access memory regions that have not been properly initialized or are outside the intended buffer scope. The vulnerability can be triggered through various attack vectors including opening malicious files, executing specific command sequences, or processing crafted input data that causes the editor to perform unsafe memory operations. The over-read behavior specifically affects the application's ability to manage memory allocation and access control during text processing operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-2175 extends beyond simple memory corruption, potentially enabling attackers to extract sensitive information from memory, cause application crashes, or in more severe scenarios, facilitate remote code execution. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability allows adversaries to gain unauthorized access to system resources and potentially escalate privileges within the context of the running vim process. The vulnerability affects systems where vim is installed and actively used for text editing operations, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where text editors are commonly utilized for configuration file management, script development, and system administration tasks. Organizations using older versions of vim without proper patching are at significant risk of exploitation by threat actors targeting text editor vulnerabilities.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability primarily involve updating to vim version 8.2 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the buffer over-read condition. System administrators should prioritize patch management procedures to ensure all instances of vim are upgraded to secure versions. Additionally, implementing proper input validation measures and restricting vim execution privileges can help reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions in software implementations. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability may map to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as attackers could leverage the vulnerability to execute malicious code through vim command execution. Organizations should also consider implementing sandboxing techniques and monitoring for unusual vim process behaviors to detect potential exploitation attempts. The remediation approach emphasizes the importance of regular software updates and maintaining current security patches as a fundamental defense mechanism against known vulnerabilities.