Heap-based buffer overflow in Vim - CVE-2026-28421

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Main Vulnerability Database Vulnerabilities #VU123427

Heap-based buffer overflow in Vim - CVE-2026-28421

Published: March 3, 2026


Vulnerability identifier: #VU123427
CSH Severity: High
CVSS v4: 8.4 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N]
CVE-ID: CVE-2026-28421
CWE-ID: CWE-122
Exploitation vector: Remote access
Exploit availability: No public exploit available

Vulnerability details

The vulnerability allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the target system.

The vulnerability exists due to a boundary error in swap file recovery logic. A remote attacker can trick the victim into opening a specially crafted swap file, trigger a heap-based buffer overflow and execute arbitrary code on the target system.

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may result in complete compromise of vulnerable system.


Affected software

Vim
IBM Cloud Pak for Data System
Anolis OS
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM 64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, little endian
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - AUS
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - TUS
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, little endian - Extended Update Support
Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM 64 - Extended Update Support
Ubuntu
openEuler
Fedora
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server for Power LE - Update Services for SAP Solutions
vim (Ubuntu package)
vim (Red Hat package)
vim-X11
vim-common
vim-enhanced
vim-minimal
vim-filesystem
vim-data
vim-doc
vim-debuginfo
vim
vim-debugsource
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform

How to mitigate CVE-2026-28421

Install updates from vendor's website.

Vim - update to 9.2.0077
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform - addressed in versions 4.13.65, 4.18.38, 4.19.28
vim (Ubuntu package) - addressed in versions 2:7.4.052-1ubuntu3.1+esm23, 2:7.4.1689-3ubuntu1.5+esm29, 2:8.0.1453-1ubuntu1.13+esm14, 2:8.1.2269-1ubuntu5.32+esm2, 2:8.2.3995-1ubuntu2.26, 2:9.1.0016-1ubuntu7.10, 2:9.1.0967-1ubuntu6.1
vim (Red Hat package) - addressed in versions 7.4.629-8.el7_9.1, 8.0.1763-13.el8_2.1, 8.0.1763-15.el8_4.1, 8.0.1763-19.el8_6.5, 8.0.1763-20.el8_8.1, 8.0.1763-22.el8_10.1, 8.2.2637-16.el9_0.4, 8.2.2637-20.el9_4.2, 8.2.2637-22.el9_6.2, 8.2.2637-23.el9_7.2, 9.1.083-5.el10_0.2, 9.1.083-6.el10_1.3
vim-X11 - addressed in versions 8.0.1763-22.0.1, 9.0.2092-10
vim-common - addressed in versions 8.0.1763-22.0.1, 9.0.2092-10
vim-enhanced - addressed in versions 8.0.1763-22.0.1, 9.0.2092-10
vim-minimal - addressed in versions 8.0.1763-22.0.1, 9.0.2092-10
vim-filesystem - addressed in versions 8.0.1763-22.0.1, 9.0.2092-10
vim-data - update to 9.0.2092-10
vim-doc - update to 9.0.2092-10
vim-debuginfo - update to 9.0.2092-26
vim-common - update to 9.0.2092-26
vim-X11 - update to 9.0.2092-26
vim - update to 9.0.2092-26
vim-debugsource - update to 9.0.2092-26
vim-filesystem - update to 9.0.2092-26
vim-minimal - update to 9.0.2092-26
vim-enhanced - update to 9.0.2092-26
vim - addressed in versions 9.2.112-1.fc43, 9.2.112-1.fc44, 9.2.112-2.fc42, 9.2.112-2.fc43, 9.2.112-2.fc44, 9.2.148-1.fc42, 9.2.148-1.fc44

External References

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