Several Vim Vulnerabilities Fixed in Ubuntu

Rohan Timalsina

October 30, 2023 - TuxCare expert team

Hey there, Ubuntu users! We have got some important news about your favorite text editor, Vim. The latest security updates have been released to fix several Vim vulnerabilities, and it’s crucial that you update the Vim package to newer versions. Let’s explore the fixed vulnerabilities in these new updates.

High-Severity Vim Vulnerabilities

1. Memory Management Issue

One of the issues discovered with Vim was related to memory management. In simple terms, Vim wasn’t handling memory correctly. This could allow an attacker to cause a “denial of service,” essentially making Vim unresponsive or even executing malicious code. Not good, right? These issues are tracked under CVE-2023-4733 and CVE-2023-4750.

2. Arithmetic Overflow

Another issue found in Vim was an arithmetic overflow. This one specifically affected Ubuntu 22.04 LTS, Ubuntu 23.04, and Ubuntu 23.10. An attacker could exploit this to cause a “denial of service,” essentially making the program crash or freeze. This issue is known as CVE-2023-4734.

3. Out-of-Bounds Writing

There were several vulnerabilities in Vim that could lead to out-of-bounds writing. In simpler terms, Vim could accidentally write data where it wasn’t supposed to. An attacker could exploit this to crash Vim or, even worse, execute malicious code. These issues are tracked under CVE-2023-4735, CVE-2023-5344, CVE-2023-4738, CVE-2023-4751, CVE-2023-4752, CVE-2023-5535, and CVE-2023-4781.

4. Invalid Memory Dereferencing

The last issue discovered was Vim trying to access memory that it shouldn’t. An attacker could use this to trigger a “denial of service.” This issue is known as CVE-2023-5441.

Final Thoughts

The folks at Ubuntu have released security updates to fix these problems. So, if you keep your system up to date, you should be protected from these vulnerabilities. Vim vulnerabilities are worrying, but no one should be overly concerned – no one knows exactly how to exit Vim, so even threat actors will think twice before exploiting them. 😜

Remember, keeping your software and operating system updated is one of the best ways to stay safe in the digital world. So, go ahead and install those updates and keep your Vim installation secure.

Ubuntu 18.04 has already reached the end of life, so you won’t receive security updates unless you have a Ubuntu Pro subscription. While Ubuntu Pro pricing is relatively high, you can opt for an affordable option, “TuxCare’s Extended Lifecycle Support for Ubuntu 18.04”.

Speak to a TuxCare Linux expert to learn more about Extended Lifecycle Support for Ubuntu 18.04.

The sources for this article can be found on USN-6452-1.

Summary