# CVE-2026-73073: Vim: Arbitrary Ex Command Execution in C Omni-Completion

> Attackers can execute arbitrary commands via malicious tags files when users trigger C omni-completion in Vim.

- **Severity:** High 7.1 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/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:** 18 Aug 2026
- **Updated:** 18 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2026-73073, ALSA-2026:75768, ALSA-2026:75769, ALSA-2026:77359, AZL-96767, BELL-CVE-2026-73073, CLSA-2026-1788182469, CLSA-2026-1792215398, CLSA-2026-1792217772, DEBIAN-CVE-2026-73073, ECHO-541c-d60f-becf, GHSA-cx73-phcg-3j5g, MINI-hvv6-3fvh-f74x, RHSA-2026:75768, RHSA-2026:75769, RHSA-2026:77359, RLSA-2026:75768, RLSA-2026:75769, RLSA-2026:77359, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2026-73073, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-12-CVE-2026-73073, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-73073, USN-8679-1, USN-8679-2

## What is CVE-2026-73073?

CVE-2026-73073 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Vim Vim, published on 18 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 9.2.0845, StructMembers() in runtime/autoload/ccomplete.vim constructs and executes a vimgrep command using an insufficiently escaped typeref: or typename: value from a tags file, allowing an unterminated collection followed by a command separator to execute arbitrary Ex and operating-system commands when a user invokes C omni-completion with CTRL-X CTRL-O on a member access whose type is resolved from that tags file. This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0845.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code), CWE-829 (Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-73073?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `vim-X11` | AlmaLinux:10 | All versions | 2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.22 |
| `vim-common` | AlmaLinux:10 | All versions | 2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.22 |
| `vim-data` | AlmaLinux:10 | All versions | 2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.22 |
| `vim-enhanced` | AlmaLinux:10 | All versions | 2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.22 |
| `vim-filesystem` | AlmaLinux:10 | All versions | 2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.22 |
| `vim-minimal` | AlmaLinux:10 | All versions | 2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.22 |
| `xxd` | AlmaLinux:10 | All versions | 2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.22 |
| `vim-X11` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2:8.0.1763-32.el8_10 |
| `vim-common` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2:8.0.1763-32.el8_10 |
| `vim-enhanced` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2:8.0.1763-32.el8_10 |
| `vim-filesystem` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2:8.0.1763-32.el8_10 |
| `vim-minimal` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2:8.0.1763-32.el8_10 |
| `vim-X11` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 2:8.2.2637-26.el9_8.23 |
| `vim-common` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 2:8.2.2637-26.el9_8.23 |
| `vim-enhanced` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 2:8.2.2637-26.el9_8.23 |
| `vim-filesystem` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 2:8.2.2637-26.el9_8.23 |
| `vim-minimal` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 2:8.2.2637-26.el9_8.23 |
| `vim` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.22 |
| `vim-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.2 | All versions | 2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.22 |
| `vim-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 2:8.0.1763-32.el8_10 |
| `vim` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 2:8.0.1763-32.el8_10 |
| `vim-common` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 2:8.2.2637-26.el9_8.23 |
| `vim` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | All versions | 2:8.2.2637-26.el9_8.23 |
| `vim` | Rocky Linux:10 | All versions | 2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.22 |
| `vim` | Rocky Linux:8 | All versions | 2:8.0.1763-32.el8_10 |
| `vim` | Rocky Linux:9 | All versions | 2:8.2.2637-26.el9_8.23 |

Products: Vim Vim.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-73073?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2026-73073 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-73073 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-2026-73073 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-73073 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Vim Vim, published on 18 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-2026-73073 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-2026-73073/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73073/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-73073
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-73073
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-73073

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-73073/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.