How severe is CVE-2008-6235?

CVE-2008-6235 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.

Is CVE-2008-6235 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (87th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2008-6235?

CVE-2008-6235 primarily affects Vim. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-6235?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2008-6235 published?

CVE-2008-6235 was published on 2009-02-21 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2008-6235

CVE-2008-6235 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Vim with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-78.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 2.0 base score 9.3)
EPSS exploit prediction: 3% (87th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-78
Affected product: Vim
Published: 2009-02-21
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The Netrw plugin (netrw.vim) in Vim 7.0 and 7.1 allows user-assisted attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in a filename used by the (1) "D" (delete) command or (2) b:netrw_curdir variable, as demonstrated using the netrw.v4 and netrw.v5 test cases.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-6235?: The Netrw plugin (netrw.vim) in Vim 7.0 and 7.1 allows user-assisted attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in a filename used by the (1) "D" (delete) command or (2) b:netrw_curdir variable, as demonstrated using the netrw.v4 and netrw.v5 test cases.
How severe is CVE-2008-6235?: CVE-2008-6235 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.
Is CVE-2008-6235 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (87th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2008-6235?: CVE-2008-6235 primarily affects Vim. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2008-6235?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2008-6235 published?: CVE-2008-6235 was published on 2009-02-21 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vim:vim:7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Vim

CVE-2020-20703 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Buffer Overflow vulnerability in VIM v.8.1.2135 allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code via the operand…
CVE-2022-3520 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Heap-based Buffer Overflow in GitHub repository vim/vim prior to 9.0.0765.
CVE-2022-0318 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Heap-based Buffer Overflow in vim/vim prior to 8.2.
CVE-2017-6350 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): An integer overflow at an unserialize_uep memory allocation site would occur for vim before patch 8.0.0378, if it does…
CVE-2017-6349 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): An integer overflow at a u_read_undo memory allocation site would occur for vim before patch 8.0.0377, if it does not…
CVE-2017-5953 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): vim before patch 8.0.0322 does not properly validate values for tree length when handling a spell file, which may…

All CVEs affecting Vim →

Other CWE-78 (OS Command Injection) vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-100382 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') vulnerability in Wikimedia…
CVE-2026-77521 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): MaxKB is an open-source AI assistant for enterprise. Prior to version 2.10.5-lts, assistants with a tool, MCP tool,…
CVE-2026-82004 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Campaign Classic (ACC) is affected by an Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS…
CVE-2026-76197 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Campaign Classic (ACC) is affected by an Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS…
CVE-2026-76195 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Campaign Classic (ACC) is affected by an Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS…
CVE-2026-19188 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A critical OS command injection vulnerability has been identified in the Haiwell IoT Cloud HMI Gateway product. The…

Browse all CWE-78 (OS Command Injection) vulnerabilities →