High [CVE-2026-73078] Arbitrary Code Execution via Crafted Netrw Menu Entries
This high-severity Red Hat Linux advisory covers CVE-2026-73078 affecting Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.
Aggregated and source-linked by VulniPulse. Data sources, validation and limitations.
VulniPulse record published Record updated
Android app · Google Play
Monitor future Red Hat Linux CVEs from your phone.
Choose a whole vendor or a precise platform, then receive matching security advisories by phone notification, email, or both. Coverage follows 32 official vendor sources and 160+ reviewed platform categories.
Summary
Vim is an open source, command line text editor.
Prior to 9.2.0840, runtime/plugin/netrwPlugin.vim loads netrw and runtime/pack/dist/opt/netrw/autoload/netrw.vim constructs Bookmarks, History, and Targets menu entries by interpolating attacker-controlled directory paths into executed:menu commands. s:NetrwBookmarkMenu(), s:NetrwTgtMenu(), g:netrw_menu_escape, EX_TRLBAR, and netrw#MakeTgt() fail to neutralize the | command separator or single quotes at five construction sites, allowing a crafted path browsed or bookmarked in GUI Vim to execute arbitrary Ex and operating-system commands.
This issue is fixed in version 9.2.0840. Browsing or bookmarking a maliciously crafted path in GUI Vim allows attackers to execute arbitrary OS commands as the running user.
By crafting a malicious directory path, an attacker could exploit improper neutralization of special characters when the path is browsed or bookmarked, leading to command injection. This issue specifically impacts GUI installations and requires user interaction.
Red Hat severity: Important — CVSS 8.8 (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H). Weakness: CWE-77.
Affected Red Hat products: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.
Affected products named by the advisory: Red Hat package: vim.
- < 9.2.0840
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 23 days ago·verify at source
- 9.2.0840
- vim-2:9.1.083-9.el10_2.20
- vim-2:8.0.1763-31.el8_10.7
- vim-2:8.2.2637-26.el9_8.21
- RHSA-2026:66336
- RHSA-2026:66348
- RHSA-2026:66366
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 23 days ago·verify at source
Mitigation checklist
- To mitigate this issue, avoid browsing or bookmarking untrusted or maliciously crafted directory paths within GUI Vim. Users should exercise caution when interacting with `netrw` menu entries derived from external or untrusted sources.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 23 days ago·verify at source
Discussion(0)
No comments yet. Share field notes, upgrade gotchas, or questions — verify against the vendor advisory before acting on community advice.
Sign in to join the discussion.