# CVE-2016-1248: Code injection in vim before patch 8.0.0056 > Attackers can execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening files with malicious modelines in Vim. - **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`) - **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:** 23 Nov 2016 - **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024 - **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2016-1248, DEBIAN-CVE-2016-1248, DLA-718-1, DSA-3722-1, GHSA-6q4x-827v-ffwx, RHSA-2016:2972, SUSE-SU-2016:2938-1, SUSE-SU-2016:2942-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-1248, USN-3139-1 ## What is CVE-2016-1248? CVE-2016-1248 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 23 Nov 2016. 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 before patch 8.0.0056 does not properly validate values for the 'filetype', 'syntax' and 'keymap' options, which may result in the execution of arbitrary code if a file with a specially crafted modeline is opened. Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-1248? It affects 2 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `vim` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-X11` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-enhanced` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-filesystem` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-minimal` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-X11` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-enhanced` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-filesystem` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-minimal` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-X11` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-enhanced` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-filesystem` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-minimal` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-X11` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-enhanced` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-filesystem` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim-minimal` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 2:7.4.629-5.el6_8.1 | | `vim` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim-X11` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim-enhanced` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim-filesystem` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim-minimal` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim-X11` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | | `vim-enhanced` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 2:7.4.160-1.el7_3.1 | Products: Debian Debian Linux, Vim Vim. ## How do I fix CVE-2016-1248? Apply the vendor's patch. ## Is CVE-2016-1248 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-1248 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux - [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2016-1248 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2016-1248 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 23 Nov 2016. 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: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-1248 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected product: Debian Debian 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-2016-1248/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1248/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-1248 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1248 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-1248 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-1248/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.