HIGH
CVE-2021-3796
CWE-416Published: September 15, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
7.3
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
vim is vulnerable to Use After Free
Technical Analysis
CVE-2021-3796 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.3.
From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-416): Use-after-free vulnerabilities involve accessing memory after it has been freed, often enabling arbitrary code execution.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityLow
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (18)
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/10/01/1Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://github.com/vim/vim/commit/35a9a00afcb20897d462a766793ff45534810dc3Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://huntr.dev/bounties/ab60b7f3-6fb1-4ac2-a4fa-4d592e08008dExploit · Issue Tracking · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/01/msg00003.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202208-32Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20221118-0004/Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/10/01/1Mailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://github.com/vim/vim/commit/35a9a00afcb20897d462a766793ff45534810dc3Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://huntr.dev/bounties/ab60b7f3-6fb1-4ac2-a4fa-4d592e08008dExploit · Issue Tracking · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/01/msg00003.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2021-3796
CVSS Score7.3 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-416
CISA KEVNo
Affected4 vendor(s)
PublishedSep 15, 2021
Related CVEs (CWE-416)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2021-3796 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.