# CVE-2026-8997: Heap Buffer Overflow in vifm

> A heap buffer overflow in vifm allows attackers to cause crashes or execute code via crafted history entries during state file saving.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.8 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/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:** 22 May 2026
- **Updated:** 22 May 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2026-8997, GHSA-3623-vc46-pwpv, UBUNTU-CVE-2026-8997, openSUSE-SU-2026:10928-1

## What is CVE-2026-8997?

CVE-2026-8997 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in vifm, published on 22 May 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

vifm is vulnerable to a heap buffer overflow during the history merge process when saving the state file (vifminfo.json). This flaw occurs because the application lacks a runtime check on the length of history entries in release builds, potentially allowing a crafted long path or command in the history to cause memory corruption or application crashes.
Releases from 0.12.1 to 0.14.3 (including) are considered vulnerable. This issue was fixed in commit 23063c7

Weakness: CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-8997?


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `vifm` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 0.14.4-1.1 |

## How do I fix CVE-2026-8997?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-8997 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-8997 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-8997 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-8997 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in vifm, published on 22 May 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-2026-8997 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: vifm. 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-2026-8997/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-8997/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-8997
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-8997
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-8997

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-8997/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.