High severity · published Dec 2, 2025
CVE-2025-66476
Vim is an open source, command line text editor
7.8
CVSS
0.5%
EPSS
No
On KEV
Description
Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to version 9.1.1947, an uncontrolled search path vulnerability on Windows allows Vim to execute malicious executables placed in the current working directory for the current edited file. On Windows, when using cmd.exe as a shell, Vim resolves external commands by searching the current working directory before system paths. When Vim invokes tools such as findstr for :grep, external commands or filters via :!, or compiler/:make commands, it may inadvertently run a malicious executable present in the same directory as the file being edited. The issue affects Vim for Windows prior to version 9.1.1947.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)0.5% · higher than 39% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo evidence yet
CISA KEVNot listed
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
VI
Vim · Vim
before 9.1.1947 · source: NVD
References
NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-66476
CVE.org
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-66476
Patch
https://github.com/vim/vim/commit/083ec6d9a3b7b09006e0ce69ac802597d25
Release Notes
https://github.com/vim/vim/releases/tag/v9.1.1947
Patch
https://github.com/vim/vim/security/advisories/GHSA-g77q-xrww-p834
Mailing List
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/12/02/5
More from Vim
9.8
CVE-2020-20703
Buffer Overflow vulnerability in VIM v.8.1.2135 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code via the operand parameter
9.8
CVE-2022-3520
Heap-based Buffer Overflow in GitHub repository vim/vim prior to 9.0.0765
9.8
CVE-2022-0318
Heap-based Buffer Overflow in vim/vim prior to 8.2
9.8
CVE-2017-6350
An integer overflow at an unserialize_uep memory allocation site would occur for vim before patch 8.0.0378, if it does not properly validate values for tree length when reading a…
9.8
CVE-2017-6349
An integer overflow at a u_read_undo memory allocation site would occur for vim before patch 8.0.0377, if it does not properly validate values for tree length when reading a…
