# CVE-2008-4101: Command injection in n/a

> User-assisted attackers can execute arbitrary shell or Ex commands in Vim via specific keystroke sequences on crafted lines.

- **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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Sep 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2008-4101, GHSA-2gqj-jjm7-f6m7

## What is CVE-2008-4101?

CVE-2008-4101 is a critical command injection vulnerability in Vim Vim, published on 18 Sep 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official 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.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-4101?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vim Vim.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-4101?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2008-4101 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-4101 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Vim 7.1.314 - Insufficient Shell Escaping Multiple Command Execution Vulnerabilities (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Vim Vim

- [CVE-2020-20703](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-20703/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-6349](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6349/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-6350](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-6350/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-5953](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-5953/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2008-3075](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3075/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-4101 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-4101 is a critical command injection vulnerability in Vim Vim, published on 18 Sep 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-4101 exists.

Affected product: Vim Vim. 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-2008-4101/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4101/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-4101
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-4101
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-4101

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4101/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.