# CVE-2023-48231: Use-After-Free in win_close() in vim

> A use-after-free flaw in Vim's window closing logic allows attackers to crash the application, though code execution is not proven.

- **Severity:** Low 3.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 16 Nov 2023
- **Updated:** 23 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2023-48231, AZL-32025, BELL-CVE-2023-48231, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-48231, ECHO-bdcf-b026-4ab2, GHSA-8g46-v9ff-c765, ROOT-OS-ALPINE-318-CVE-2023-48231, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-48231

## What is CVE-2023-48231?

CVE-2023-48231 is a low-severity use after free vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora, published on 16 Nov 2023. 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 is an open source command line text editor. When closing a window, vim may try to access already freed window structure. Exploitation beyond crashing the application has not been shown to be viable. This issue has been addressed in commit `25aabc2b` which has been included in release version 9.0.2106. Users are advised to upgrade. There are no known workarounds for this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-48231?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Fedoraproject Fedora, Vim Vim.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-48231?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2023-48231 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-48231 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Fedoraproject Fedora

- [CVE-2024-4577](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4577/): PHP-CGI OS Command Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-39226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-39226/): Grafana Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-5544](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5544/): VMware ESXi and Horizon DaaS OpenSLP Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-4947](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4947/): Google Chromium V8 Type Confusion (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-4671](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4671/): Google Chromium Visuals Use-After-Free (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-48231 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-48231 is a low-severity use after free vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora, published on 16 Nov 2023. 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-2023-48231 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Fedoraproject Fedora. 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-2023-48231/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-48231/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-48231
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-48231
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-48231

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-48231/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.