FreeBSD : vim -- Potential code execution (398d1ec1-f7e6-11ef-bb15-002590af0794)

high Nessus Plugin ID 218705

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Synopsis

The remote FreeBSD host is missing one or more security-related updates.

Description

The version of FreeBSD installed on the remote host is prior to tested version. It is, therefore, affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the 398d1ec1-f7e6-11ef-bb15-002590af0794 advisory.

vim reports:
Potential code execution with tar.vim and special crafted tar files Vim is distributed with the tar.vim plugin, that allows easy editing and viewing of (compressed or uncompressed) tar files.
Since commit 129a844 (Nov 11, 2024 runtime(tar): Update tar.vim to support permissions), the tar.vim plugin uses the :read ex command line to append below the cursor position, however the is not sanitized and is taken literaly from the tar archive. This allows to execute shell commands via special crafted tar archives. Whether this really happens, depends on the shell being used ('shell' option, which is set using $SHELL).
Impact is high but a user must be convinced to edit such a file using Vim which will reveal the filename, so a careful user may suspect some strange things going on.

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the FreeBSD security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Update the affected packages.

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 218705

File Name: freebsd_pkg_398d1ec1f7e611efbb15002590af0794.nasl

Version: 1.2

Type: local

Family: FreeBSD Local Security Checks

Published: 3/4/2025

Updated: 3/7/2025

Supported Sensors: Nessus

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:freebsd:freebsd:vim-motif, p-cpe:/a:freebsd:freebsd:vim-gtk3, p-cpe:/a:freebsd:freebsd:vim-x11, p-cpe:/a:freebsd:freebsd:vim-gtk2, p-cpe:/a:freebsd:freebsd:vim, cpe:/o:freebsd:freebsd, p-cpe:/a:freebsd:freebsd:vim-tiny

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/FreeBSD/release, Host/FreeBSD/pkg_info

Exploit Ease: No known exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 3/2/2025

Vulnerability Publication Date: 3/2/2025

Reference Information

IAVA: 2025-A-0141

Detections

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