What is the CVSS score of CVE-2024-20656?

CVE-2024-20656 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (High). CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. EPSS exploitation probability: 54.3%.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2024-20656?

Within 30 days: Identify all affected systems and apply vendor patches as part of regular patch cycle. Vendor patch is available.

Visual Studio CVE-2024-20656

HIGH

Improper Link Resolution Before File Access (CWE-59)

2024-01-09 secure@microsoft.com

Information Disclosure Microsoft Visual Studio Visual Studio 2017 Visual Studio 2019 Visual Studio 2022

7.8

CVSS 3.1 · NVD

View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness	CWE CWE-59 OWASP Top 10:2025 A01:2025 - Broken Access Control ASVS 5.0 V5 - File Handling Symlink resolution safety
Impact	CVSS 7.8, EPSS 54.3%, patch available. Visual Studio is the primary IDE for .NET and C++ development. Privilege escalation on developer workstations is a supply chain risk: compromised build environments can inject backdoors into released software.
Exploit ScenarioDerived	An attacker with local user access on a developer workstation creates a symlink that redirects Visual Studio's temporary file operations. When the developer builds a project, Visual Studio follows the symlink and writes to a privileged location. The attacker uses this to inject code into the build pipeline, backdooring compiled binaries.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: HIGH severity + EPSS > 10%.

Patch available 54.3% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Mar 28, 2026

Visual Studio contains an elevation of privilege vulnerability that allows local attackers to escalate privileges through symlink exploitation. Successful exploitation grants elevated permissions on the development workstation, potentially compromising the software supply chain.

Earlier versions of this analysis (1)

v1 Mar 28, 2026 - 19:34 CVSS 7.8

Local privilege escalation in Visual Studio via symlink exploitation enables developer workstation compromise.

RemediationAI

Apply the January 2024 Microsoft security update. Implement least-privilege access on developer workstations. Monitor build environments for unexpected symlinks. Use build verification and code signing for release pipelines.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The vulnerability exploits improper symlink handling in Visual Studio operations. A local attacker can create symbolic links that redirect Visual Studio file operations to privileged locations, achieving write access to protected system areas. This can be leveraged for privilege escalation or code injection into the Visual Studio build pipeline.

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Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 7.8 HIGH

AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector

Local

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

Low

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Lifecycle Timeline

Patch released

Mar 28, 2026 - 19:34 nvd

Patch available

CVE Published

Jan 09, 2024 - 18:15 nvd

HIGH 7.8

DescriptionCVE.org

Visual Studio Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

CVE-2024-20656 presents notable security risk rated CVSS 7.8. Exploitation could compromise the security of affected deployments. With an EPSS score of 54%, this vulnerability faces very high likelihood of exploitation. A patch is available and should be applied as part of regular vulnerability management.

Business Impact: High

Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch. If immediate patching is not feasible: (1) Implement network-level access controls to limit exposure; (2) Enable enhanced monitoring and alerting; (3) Apply principle of least privilege.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score

54.3%

Top 2% exploitable

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue

Severity HIGH

CISA KEV No

Public POC No

EPSS 54.3%

Patch available Yes

Active threat No

Deciding rule

HIGH severity + EPSS > 10%

What every action level means

Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.

Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived

Scheduled

Exploitation· derived

None

System Exposure· derived

Small

Automatable· derived

Human Impact

High

Priority Score

Low Medium High Critical

KEV: 0

EPSS: +54

CVSS: +39

PoC: 0

Weaponized: 0

Threat intel: 0

Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Information Disclosure MEDIUM

Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.