CVE-2026-73072: vim Heap-based Buffer Overflow

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-73072 is a high (CVSS 8.5) Heap-based Buffer Overflow vulnerability in vim. EPSS estimates a 0.11% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 1.4% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 11-08-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 17-09-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

Vim is an open source, command line text editor. Prior to 9.2.0846, set_sofo() in src/spellfile.c reuses sl_sal_first[] without resetting values left by set_sal_first(), so a crafted spell file containing an SN_SAL section before an SN_SOFO section causes under-counted mapping lists and attacker-influenced writes beyond a heap allocation. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0846.

• CWE-122Heap-based Buffer OverflowA heap overflow condition is a buffer overflow, where the buffer that can be overwritten is allocated in the heap portion of memory, generally meaning that the buffer was allocated using a routine such as malloc().
• CWE-787Out-of-bounds WriteThe product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.