High [CVE-2026-73078] Arbitrary Code Execution via Crafted Netrw Menu Entries
This high-severity Red Hat Linux advisory covers CVE-2026-73078.
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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. 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-78. Under investigation: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8; Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9; Red Hat Hardened Images; Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.
- < 9.2.0840
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 2 hours ago·verify at source
- 9.2.0840
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 2 hours ago·verify at source
Mitigation
Upgrade to a fixed release: 9.2.0840. That is the remediation for this advisory.
The vendor advisory may list additional interim mitigations or workarounds not captured here — review it before change work.
Official advisory · high-confidence parse· fetched 2 hours ago·verify at source
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