CVE-2026-73078
Received Received - Intake

Vim Command Injection via Malicious Path in Bookmarks

Publication date: 2026-08-11

Last updated on: 2026-08-11

Assigner: GitHub, Inc.

Description
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to 9.2.0840, runtime/plugin/netrwPlugin.vim loads netrw and runtime/pack/dist/opt/netrw/autoload/netrw.vim constructs Bookmarks, History, and Targets menu entries by interpolating attacker-controlled directory paths into executed :menu commands. s:NetrwBookmarkMenu(), s:NetrwTgtMenu(), g:netrw_menu_escape, EX_TRLBAR, and netrw#MakeTgt() fail to neutralize the | command separator or single quotes at five construction sites, allowing a crafted path browsed or bookmarked in GUI Vim to execute arbitrary Ex and operating-system commands. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0840.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-08-11
Last Modified
2026-08-11
Generated
2026-08-11
AI Q&A
2026-08-11
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-73078
EUVD
EUVD-2026-56234

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 2 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
vim vim to 9.2.0840 (exc)
vim vim 9.2.0840

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-77 The product constructs all or part of a command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended command when it is sent to a downstream component.
CWE-184 The product implements a protection mechanism that relies on a list of inputs (or properties of inputs) that are not allowed by policy or otherwise require other action to neutralize before additional processing takes place, but the list is incomplete.

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Executive Summary

CVE-2026-73078 is a code injection vulnerability in Vim's netrw plugin affecting versions before 9.2.0840. It occurs when attacker-controlled directory paths are interpolated into :menu commands without proper escaping. The pipe character (|) acts as a command separator, allowing crafted paths to execute arbitrary Ex or OS commands when menus like Bookmarks, History, or Targets are built or triggered in GUI Vim.

Detection Guidance

Check Vim version with vim --version. If it is below 9.2.0840, the system is vulnerable. Inspect netrw plugin files for unpatched code. Look for menu entries in GUI Vim that may contain pipe characters or unescaped paths.

Impact Analysis

If you use a vulnerable Vim version (before 9.2.0840) with GUI menus enabled, an attacker could trick you into browsing or bookmarking a malicious directory path. This could lead to arbitrary command execution on your system when netrw rebuilds menus. The attacker needs control over a directory path you access, such as on a shared filesystem.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized code execution, potentially violating data confidentiality and integrity requirements in GDPR or HIPAA. If exploited, it may result in data breaches or unauthorized access to sensitive information, impacting compliance with these regulations.

Mitigation Strategies

Upgrade Vim to version 9.2.0840 or later. Disable netrw plugin if not needed. Avoid browsing untrusted directories in GUI Vim. Review and remove suspicious bookmarks or history entries in netrw.

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