Vim up to 9.1.x PHP Omni-Completion phpcomplete.vim search os command injection

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as critical has been identified in Vim up to 9.1.x. This affects the function Search of the file runtime/autoload/phpcomplete.vim of the component PHP Omni-Completion. Executing a manipulation can lead to os command injection. This vulnerability appears as CVE-2026-59856. The attack may be performed from remote. There is no available exploit.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Vim up to 9.1.x. It has been declared as critical. This vulnerability affects the function search of the file runtime/autoload/phpcomplete.vim of the component PHP Omni-Completion. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a os command injection vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-78. The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command when it is sent to a downstream component. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to 9.2.0736, the PHP omni-completion script in runtime/autoload/phpcomplete.vim interpolates a class or trait name, taken from the contents of the edited buffer, into a search() pattern that is run via win_execute() without escaping. A name containing a single quote can terminate the search() string argument early, and because the bar is honored as an Ex command separator, the remainder of the name is run as Ex commands; via the :! command this allows arbitrary operating-system command execution when a victim opens a crafted PHP file and invokes omni-completion. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0736.

The advisory is shared for download at github.com. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-59856 since 07/07/2026. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack can be initiated remotely. No form of authentication is required for a successful exploitation. Successful exploitation requires user interaction by the victim. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1202.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 326288 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-59856), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 9.2.0736 eliminates this vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (326288) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-2115). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux
• Microsoft Azure Linux
• SUSE Linux
• Open Source vim
• SUSE openSUSE
• Ubuntu Linux

Productinfo

Type

• Word Processing Software

Name

• Vim

Version

• 9.0
• 9.1

License

• open-source

Website

• Product: https://github.com/vim/vim/

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VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

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