# CVE-2025-66476: Vim for Windows Uncontrolled Search Path Element Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code on Windows by placing malicious executables in the current working directory, exploiting Vim's path resolution order.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** No
- **Published:** 2 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 26 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g77q-xrww-p834

## What is CVE-2025-66476?

CVE-2025-66476 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Vim Vim, published on 2 Dec 2025. 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. Prior to version 9.1.1947, an uncontrolled search path vulnerability on Windows allows Vim to execute malicious executables placed in the current working directory for the current edited file. On Windows, when using cmd.exe as a shell, Vim resolves external commands by searching the current working directory before system paths. When Vim invokes tools such as findstr for :grep, external commands or filters via :!, or compiler/:make commands, it may inadvertently run a malicious executable present in the same directory as the file being edited. The issue affects Vim for Windows prior to version 9.1.1947.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-66476?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vim Vim.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-66476?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-66476 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-66476 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-66476 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2025-66476 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-66476 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Vim Vim, published on 2 Dec 2025. 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-2025-66476 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2025-66476/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-66476/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-66476
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-66476
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-66476

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-66476/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.