CVE-2022-2287 in vim
Summary
by MITRE • 07/03/2022
Out-of-bounds Read in GitHub repository vim/vim prior to 9.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2287 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw discovered in the popular vim text editor repository maintained by GitHub. This issue affects versions of vim prior to 9.0, indicating a significant security gap that could potentially be exploited by malicious actors to gain unauthorized access or disrupt system operations. The vulnerability manifests within the core functionality of vim, making it particularly dangerous as it impacts one of the most widely used text editors across various operating systems and development environments. The out-of-bounds read condition occurs when the application processes certain input data without proper validation, leading to memory access violations that could be leveraged for arbitrary code execution or information disclosure.
Technical analysis reveals that this vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within vim's input processing mechanisms. When handling specific file formats or command sequences, the editor fails to validate array indices or buffer limits before accessing memory locations. This flaw aligns with CWE-129, which specifically addresses improper validation of array indices, and represents a classic example of memory safety issues that have plagued software applications for decades. The vulnerability can be triggered through various attack vectors including malformed configuration files, specially crafted input during text editing operations, or when processing external data sources that vim interacts with during normal operation. The out-of-bounds read condition allows attackers to access memory locations outside the intended buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive data or enabling further exploitation techniques.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-2287 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it creates opportunities for more sophisticated attacks within development environments where vim is extensively used. System administrators and developers who rely on vim for code editing, configuration management, and text processing tasks face potential exposure to unauthorized code execution or data leakage. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where vim serves as a foundational tool for system administration and software development activities. Attackers could exploit this flaw to read sensitive information from memory, potentially accessing authentication credentials, encryption keys, or proprietary code fragments that are stored in adjacent memory regions. The vulnerability's presence in the widely deployed vim editor means that exploitation could affect numerous systems across different platforms and architectures, making it a high-priority concern for security teams.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-2287 primarily focus on immediate version upgrades to vim 9.0 or later releases where the vulnerability has been addressed through proper bounds checking and input validation mechanisms. Organizations should prioritize patching all systems where vim is installed, particularly those used for development, system administration, or configuration management tasks. Security teams should implement monitoring for suspicious vim usage patterns or attempts to access memory regions that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, input sanitization measures can be implemented at the system level to restrict vim's access to potentially malicious files or data sources. The fix typically involves strengthening the validation routines that check array indices and buffer limits before memory access operations, aligning with industry best practices for secure coding and memory management. System hardening measures including restricted file permissions, sandboxed execution environments, and regular security audits can further reduce the attack surface and potential impact of this vulnerability.