CVE-2026-45496: VS Code Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2026-45496 Overview

CVE-2026-45496 is a path traversal vulnerability [CWE-22] affecting Microsoft Visual Studio Code. The flaw stems from improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory. A local authenticated attacker can leverage this weakness to bypass a security feature within the editor. Exploitation requires local access and low privileges, but no user interaction. Successful exploitation impacts confidentiality by exposing files outside intended directory boundaries. Microsoft published the advisory through the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) update guide.

Critical Impact
A local attacker with low privileges can traverse restricted directory boundaries in Visual Studio Code to bypass a security feature and access sensitive files.

Affected Products

Microsoft Visual Studio Code (all versions prior to the Microsoft-issued patch)
Developer workstations running Visual Studio Code with extensions or workspace trust features
Systems where Visual Studio Code processes untrusted workspace files

Discovery Timeline

2026-07-14 - CVE-2026-45496 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-07-16 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-45496

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-22]: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory. Visual Studio Code fails to correctly validate or canonicalize file path input before performing filesystem operations. This allows an attacker to craft pathnames containing traversal sequences that escape the intended restricted directory. The result is a bypass of a security control that would normally confine file access to a permitted scope. The impact is scoped to confidentiality, meaning sensitive file contents may be disclosed to the attacker. Integrity and availability of the host are not affected according to the CVSS metrics.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient sanitization of file path components processed by Visual Studio Code. When the application resolves a supplied pathname, sequences such as ../ or absolute path fragments are not adequately normalized against a base directory. The security feature intended to restrict file access relies on this validation and can therefore be circumvented. Path traversal flaws in editors and IDEs commonly arise in workspace loading, extension host communication, or file protocol handlers.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access with low privileges on the target system. No user interaction is needed once the attacker can invoke the vulnerable code path. An attacker may deliver a crafted workspace, project file, or configuration that contains traversal payloads. When Visual Studio Code processes the input, the security check is bypassed and files outside the restricted directory become accessible. The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) reports a low real-world exploitation probability at the time of publication. No public proof-of-concept or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported.

No verified proof-of-concept code is available. Refer to the Microsoft Security Update CVE-2026-45496 advisory for authoritative technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-45496

Indicators of Compromise

Visual Studio Code process activity reading files outside expected workspace directories, such as %USERPROFILE%\.ssh\, /etc/, or credential stores
Workspace files, .vscode/ configurations, or extension manifests containing path traversal sequences like ../../ or encoded variants (%2e%2e%2f)
Unexpected file access telemetry from the Code.exe or code binary targeting sensitive system paths

Detection Strategies

Monitor endpoint telemetry for Visual Studio Code accessing files outside opened workspace roots, particularly high-value paths containing tokens, keys, or system configuration
Inspect newly opened workspace and project files for path traversal patterns in tasks.json, launch.json, and extension configuration entries
Correlate Visual Studio Code file read operations with the user's active workspace scope to identify anomalous scope escapes

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable file integrity monitoring on developer workstations for sensitive directories that Visual Studio Code should not access during normal use
Ingest endpoint file-access logs into a centralized data lake and alert on IDE processes touching credential or SSH key material
Track installed Visual Studio Code versions across the developer fleet to identify unpatched hosts

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-45496

Immediate Actions Required

Update Visual Studio Code to the fixed version identified in the Microsoft Security Update CVE-2026-45496 advisory
Enable automatic updates for Visual Studio Code across all developer endpoints to reduce patch latency
Audit installed Visual Studio Code extensions and remove untrusted or unmaintained third-party extensions

Patch Information

Microsoft has released a security update addressing CVE-2026-45496. Patch details, affected build numbers, and download links are published on the Microsoft Security Response Center advisory. Administrators should verify that all managed installations report a build number at or above the patched release.

Workarounds

Enable Workspace Trust in Visual Studio Code and only open trusted workspaces until the patch is applied
Restrict developers from opening workspaces sourced from untrusted repositories, email attachments, or shared drives
Apply least-privilege principles on developer workstations so Visual Studio Code cannot read highly sensitive files even if traversal succeeds

bash

# Verify Visual Studio Code version on the endpoint
code --version

# Enable Workspace Trust enforcement in user settings.json
# "security.workspace.trust.enabled": true,
# "security.workspace.trust.startupPrompt": "always",
# "security.workspace.trust.untrustedFiles": "prompt"