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🛡️ CVE-2023-46246 — vim

🟡 CVSS 4.0 — Medium ⚠️ Exploit Public CWE-190 NVD
4.0
CVSS Score
0 Low4 Medium7 High9 Critical10

Description

Vim is an improved version of the good old UNIX editor Vi. Heap-use-after-free in memory allocated in the function ga_grow_inner in in the file src/alloc.c at line 748, which is freed in the file src/ex_docmd.c in the function do_cmdline at line 1010 and then used again in src/cmdhist.c at line 759. When using the :history command, it's possible that the provided argument overflows the accepted value. Causing an Integer Overflow and potentially later an use-after-free. This vulnerability has been patched in version 9.0.2068.

How this vulnerability can be exploited

This issue can be reached with local access to the system, attack complexity is low, an attacker needs no privileges on the target. No user interaction is required. The scope is unchanged, so the impact stays within the vulnerable component. Rated impact: confidentiality none, integrity none, availability low.

CVSS metrics in full

The score comes from this vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

  • Attack vector: Local — a local account, shell or session on the host is needed.
  • Attack complexity: Low — the attack works reliably, with no preparation.
  • Privileges required: None — an unauthenticated stranger can try it.
  • User interaction: None — nobody has to be tricked into anything.
  • Scope: Unchanged — the damage stays inside the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: None.
  • Integrity impact: None.
  • Availability impact: Low — limited, and the attacker does not choose what is affected.

Weakness class

CVE-2023-46246 is classified as CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound. Arithmetic produces a value too large for its type and wraps around, so a later size or bounds check passes when it should not.

Affected software

CVE-2023-46246 is recorded against 1 package.

  • vim (fixed in 9.0.2068)

Timeline and source

Published on 27 October 2023 and last revised on 23 June 2026. A public exploit is known to exist, which raises the urgency of patching considerably. A vendor advisory or fix has been published. Record sourced from NVD.

References

github.com
github.com
lists.fedoraproject.org
lists.fedoraproject.org
security.netapp.com
github.com
github.com
lists.fedoraproject.org
lists.fedoraproject.org
security.netapp.com

Other advisories for this package

vim has other advisories on record. If you are patching this one, these are worth checking on the same host:

Same weakness in other software

These advisories are the same class of weakness (CWE-190: Integer Overflow or Wraparound) in other software:

CVE-2023-46246 on other distributions

Each distribution ships its own build and its own fixed version. Pick the one you run:

Details

Severity MEDIUM
CVSS Score 4.0
CVSS Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
CWE CWE-190
Public Exploit ⚠️ Yes
Source NVD
Published 2023-10-27
Updated 2026-08-20
Modified 2026-06-23

Affected Packages

Software From version Fixed in
vim — 9.0.2068

References

Exploit Protection

Are you running vim?

CVE-2023-46246 carries CVSS 4.0 Medium rating and a public exploit already exists. BotEraser checks your installation against this and other known CVE records, and blocks IPs associated with exploit activity.

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ⓘ Data Notice: The information presented above has been compiled from publicly available internet sources. Boteraser aggregates this data solely for informational purposes and does not independently classify, evaluate, or endorse any findings about the vulnerabilities listed. The accuracy and completeness of this information is the sole responsibility of the original publishers. Boteraser and its operators accept no liability for any decisions made based on this data.

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