# CVE-2026-57456: Vim: Arbitrary Code Execution via Python Omni-Completion Docstrings

> Attackers can execute arbitrary Python code by crafting a hostile buffer that exploits Vim's Python omni-completion feature.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **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:** 25 Jun 2026
- **Updated:** 26 Jun 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2026-57456, AZL-91110, BELL-CVE-2026-57456, CLSA-2026-1783075843, CLSA-2026-1783079038, CLSA-2026-1783787785, CLSA-2026-1783788245, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-57456, ECHO-498d-6a55-feac, GHSA-ppj8-wqjf-6fp3, MINI-386g-628r-pm4q, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-57456, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-57456, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-57456

## What is CVE-2026-57456?

CVE-2026-57456 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Vim Vim, published on 25 Jun 2026. 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 9.2.0699, Vim's Python omni-completion (runtime/autoload/python3complete.vim and the legacy pythoncomplete.vim) executes reconstructed function and class definitions from the current buffer with exec() as part of populating the completion dictionary. When reconstructing that source, each scope's docstring is inserted verbatim between triple quotes with no escaping, so a hostile buffer can break out of the triple-quoted literal and execute attacker-controlled Python during omni-completion. This vulnerability is fixed in 9.2.0699.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-57456?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vim Vim.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-57456?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-57456 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-57456 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-2026-57456 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-57456 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Vim Vim, published on 25 Jun 2026. 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-2026-57456 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-2026-57456/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57456/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-57456
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-57456
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-57456

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-57456/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.