# CVE-2026-73072: Vim: Heap Buffer Overflow when Loading a Spell File

> A heap buffer overflow in Vim allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted spell file, requiring users to update to the latest version.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/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:** 11 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2026-73072, AZL-95556, BELL-CVE-2026-73072, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-73072, ECHO-32bd-c066-628a, GHSA-9jqx-hgpr-6v64, MINI-g9ww-hr98-xmhw, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-73072, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-73072, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-73072

## What is CVE-2026-73072?

CVE-2026-73072 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Vim Vim, published on 11 Aug 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 9.2.0846, set_sofo() in src/spellfile.c reuses sl_sal_first[] without resetting values left by set_sal_first(), so a crafted spell file containing an SN_SAL section before an SN_SOFO section causes under-counted mapping lists and attacker-influenced writes beyond a heap allocation. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0846.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-73072?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vim Vim.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-73072?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-73072 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-73072 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2026-73072 - Draft or TODO (github_poc): https://github.com/HORKimhab/CVE-2026-73072

## 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-2026-73072 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-73072 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Vim Vim, published on 11 Aug 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-2026-73072 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-2026-73072/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73072/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-73072
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-73072
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-73072

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73072/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.