CVE-2008-4101

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2008-4101. PoCs published by Ben Schmidt.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages Vim's insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data in modelines to execute arbitrary commands. By crafting specific 'iskeyword' settings and placing the cursor on a command, an attacker can trigger command execution when the 'K' key is pressed.

Description

Vim 3.0 through 7.x before 7.2.010 does not properly escape characters, which allows user-assisted attackers to (1) execute arbitrary shell commands by entering a K keystroke on a line that contains a ";" (semicolon) followed by a command, or execute arbitrary Ex commands by entering an argument after a (2) "Ctrl-]" (control close-square-bracket) or (3) "g]" (g close-square-bracket) keystroke sequence, a different issue than CVE-2008-2712.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED

by Ben Schmidt · textremotelinux

https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/32289

View Code ZIP pw:eip

This exploit leverages Vim's insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data in modelines to execute arbitrary commands. By crafting specific 'iskeyword' settings and placing the cursor on a command, an attacker can trigger command execution when the 'K' key is pressed.

Classification

Working Poc 90%

Attack Type

Rce

Complexity

Trivial

Reliability

Reliable

Target: Vim prior to 7.2.010

No auth needed

Prerequisites: User interaction (pressing 'K' key) · Modeline processing enabled or manual 'iskeyword' setting

MITRE ATT&CK

T1202 - Indirect Command Execution

devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (39)

Core 39

Core References

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat

http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0618.html

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-712-1

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry signature x_refsource_oval

https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A10894

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat

http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0580.html

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_xf

https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/44626

Issue Tracking x_refsource_confirm

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=461927

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry signature x_refsource_oval

https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A5812

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq

http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/495662

Various Sources x_refsource_misc

http://www.rdancer.org/vulnerablevim-K.html

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat

http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2008-0617.html

Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm

http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2009-0004.html

Exploit mailing-list x_refsource_mlist

http://ftp.vim.org/pub/vim/patches/7.2/7.2.010

Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/16/5

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/31592

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq

http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/495703

Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/11/4

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/31681

Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/16/6

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/32858

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/33410

Mailing List vendor-advisory x_refsource_apple

http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2010//Mar/msg00001.html

Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm

http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2009-001.htm

Third Party Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen

http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0904

Third Party Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen

http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0033

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq

http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/502322/100/0/threaded

Patch x_refsource_misc

http://groups.google.com/group/vim_dev/attach/dd32ad3a84f36bb2/K-arbitrary-command-execution.patch?part=2

Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm

http://support.avaya.com/elmodocs2/security/ASA-2008-457.htm

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/32222

Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4077

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/30795

Mailing List x_refsource_misc

http://groups.google.com/group/vim_dev/attach/9290f26f9bc11b33/K-arbitrary-command-execution.patch.v3?part=2

Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/09/11/3

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_mandriva

http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2008:236

Third Party Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen

http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2780

Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia

http://secunia.com/advisories/32864

Patch mailing-list x_refsource_mlist

http://groups.google.com/group/vim_dev/msg/9290f26f9bc11b33

Mailing List vendor-advisory x_refsource_apple

http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2008/Oct/msg00001.html

Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3216

Exploit x_refsource_misc

http://groups.google.com/group/vim_dev/browse_thread/thread/1434d0812b5c817e/6ad2d5b50a96668e

Vim < 7.2.010 - Arbitrary Command Execution via K Keystroke

Exploitation Summary

Description

Exploits (1)

References (39)

Scores

Details