UNKNOWN CVSS 9.3
Published: 2009-02-21

CVE-2008-3074

vim tar.vim Security Advisory (CVE-2008-3074)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2008-3074 impacting vim tar.vim. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 9.3 (UNKNOWN).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
The shellescape function in Vim 7.0 through 7.2, including 7.2a.10, allows user-assisted attackers to execute arbitrary code via the "!" (exclamation point) shell metacharacter in (1) the filename of a tar archive and possibly (2) the filename of the first file in a tar archive, which is not properly handled by the VIM TAR plugin (tar.vim) v.10 through v.22, as demonstrated by the shellescape, tarplugin.v2, tarplugin, and tarplugin.updated test cases. NOTE: this issue reportedly exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2008-2712. NOTE: this issue has the same root cause as CVE-2008-3075. NOTE: due to the complexity of the associated disclosures and the incomplete information related to them, there may be inaccuracies in this CVE description and in external mappings to this identifier.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product vim / tar.vim
Affected Versions v.10
Weakness Enumeration CWE-78

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2008-3074 impacting vim tar.vim.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2008-3074.yaml
id: cve-2008-3074

info:
  name: vim tar.vim - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: unknown
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2008-3074 affecting vim tar.vim.
    Evaluation: The shellescape function in Vim 7.0 through 7.2, including 7.2a.10, allows user-assisted attackers to execute arbitrary code via the "!" (ex...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2008-3074
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
    cvss-score: 9.3
    cve-id: CVE-2008-3074
    cwe-id: CWE-78
  tags: cve,cve-2008-3074,vim,tar.vim,unknown

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "tar.vim"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2008-3074.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2008-3074
# Target: vim tar.vim | CVSS: 9.3 (UNKNOWN)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2008-3074 (vim tar.vim)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against vim tar.vim scope (v.10).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2008-3074.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2008-3074
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install tar.vim 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade tar.vim 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update tar.vim

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i tar.vim 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i tar.vim

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2008-3074 in vim tar.vim?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update vim tar.vim packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2008-3074?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2008-3074?

CVE-2008-3074 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 9.3 (UNKNOWN). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
9.3
UNKNOWN SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2008-3074
Weakness CWE-78
Vendor vim
Product tar.vim
Published 2009-02-21
Vector AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C