Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessHost malicious workspace/repo
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DeliveryLure developer to open it
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ExploitTrigger path traversal on open
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ExecutionWrite/execute file outside intended directory
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ImpactCode execution on developer host
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Path canonicalization, traversal prevention
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Discovery, Collection The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires a victim to open attacker-controlled content in Visual Studio Code - a malicious workspace, folder, repository, or project file whose internal pathnames traverse outside the restricted directory (CWE-22), leading to code execution. The primary limiting factor is the required user interaction (UI:R): the attack is not triggered automatically and depends on social engineering to get a developer to open the crafted project in an affected version (1.0.0 up to but not including 1.141.1). No authentication is required of the attacker (PR:N), but the victim-interaction step and the need to deliver crafted content meaningfully constrain real-world exploitation compared to a zero-click remote flaw. |
| Impact | This is a genuinely high-priority flaw that warrants prompt patching, though several real-world signals temper the raw 9.6 score. The CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H) describes a network-reachable, low-complexity, unauthenticated path traversal that chains to code execution with a scope change and full confidentiality/integrity/availability impact - consistent with the description of an 'unauthorized attacker' executing code over a network. The single most important mitigating signal is UI:R: exploitation requires victim interaction, which for an editor like VS Code almost always means the user opening a malicious workspace, folder, repository, or file. EPSS is not provided, the CVE is NOT in CISA KEV, and no public proof-of-concept is referenced, so there is no evidence of active or at-scale exploitation. The net picture is a high-severity, patch-worthy vulnerability whose real-world risk is gated by the social-engineering step of getting a developer to open attacker-controlled content, rather than a wormable, zero-click internet-facing exposure. Note a mild tension to verify: the CVSS labels this AV:N while the realistic delivery is a victim opening local/remote project content - the 'network' vector reflects attacker-supplied content delivered over a network and consumed by the victim, not direct remote service exploitation. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker crafts a malicious repository, workspace, or project archive containing files whose paths traverse outside the intended directory, then lures a developer into cloning or opening it in Visual Studio Code. When the victim opens the project, the path traversal lets attacker-controlled content be written or executed outside the sandboxed location, resulting in code execution on the developer's machine. No public exploit is identified at time of analysis, and exploitation depends on the user opening the attacker's content (UI:R). |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Oct 13, 2026
Remote code execution in Visual Studio Code (versions 1.0.0 up to but not including 1.141.1) is achievable through a path traversal flaw when a victim opens a crafted workspace, folder, or repository containing malicious pathnames that escape the intended restricted directory. The attack is unauthenticated (PR:N) but requires user interaction (UI:R), and the scope change (S:C) alongside high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts yields a CVSS score of 9.6. Microsoft has released a vendor patch (1.141.1); no public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis, though the severity warrants prompt patching.
RemediationAI
Vendor-released patch: 1.141.1 - upgrade to Visual Studio Code 1.141.1 or later. The vendor advisory is at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-102238. Until patching is possible, as a compensating control, avoid opening workspaces, folders, repositories, or project files from untrusted sources, because exploitation requires the victim to open crafted content (UI:R). This may restrict legitimate workflow but reduces exposure. No other specific workarounds are provided in the available intelligence.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
Visual Studio Code is a source code editor that supports opening workspaces, folders, repositories, or project files. The vulnerability is a path traversal (CWE-22) where the application fails to properly limit pathnames to a restricted directory. An attacker can craft content that includes path sequences escaping the intended directory, which can lead to code execution in the context of the user opening the content. The CVSS vector indicates a scope change (S:C), meaning the vulnerable component impacts resources beyond its security scope. The affected version range is 1.0.0 to before 1.141.1 as reported by EUVD; no CPE strings were provided in the available intelligence.
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Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attacker-supplied content delivered over a network (AV:N) but consumed only when the victim opens it (UI:R); no attacker auth (PR:N); traversal escaping the editor boundary justifies S:C with full C/I/A impact via code execution.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory ('path traversal') in Visual Studio Code allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.
Executive ViewAI
Microsoft Visual Studio Code, a widely deployed development environment, contains a critical remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2026-102238) affecting versions 1.0.0 through 1.141.0. An attacker can exploit this by convincing a developer to open a malicious workspace, folder, or repository, leading to full compromise of the developer's workstation and potential lateral movement into corporate networks. With no public exploit identified, the immediate risk is manageable, but the severity demands urgent patching to protect intellectual property, credentials, and production access.
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Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Path traversal exploits occur when applications use user-controlled input to construct file system paths without proper validation.
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EUVD-2026-100600
GHSA-hccq-3qmx-2g7f
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB