# CVE-2008-2712: Command injection in n/a

> Attackers can execute arbitrary commands via malicious Vim scripts if users open them, requiring user interaction to trigger the vulnerability.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 16 Jun 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2008-2712, DTSA-143-1, GHSA-j8hm-6qv5-gj2w

## What is CVE-2008-2712?

CVE-2008-2712 is a critical command injection vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 16 Jun 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Vim 7.1.314, 6.4, and other versions allows user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via Vim scripts that do not properly sanitize inputs before invoking the execute or system functions, as demonstrated using (1) filetype.vim, (3) xpm.vim, (4) gzip_vim, and (5) netrw.  NOTE: the originally reported version was 7.1.314, but the researcher actually found this set of issues in 7.1.298.  NOTE: the zipplugin issue (originally vector 2 in this identifier) has been subsumed by CVE-2008-3075.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-2712?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Vim Vim.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-2712?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2008-2712 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-2712 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Vim 7.x - Vim Script Multiple Command Execution Vulnerabilities (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-2712 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-2712 is a critical command injection vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 16 Jun 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-2712 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-2712/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-2712/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-2712
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-2712
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-2712

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-2712/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.