CVE-2020-16881

HIGH

Visual Studio Code < 1.48.1 - Remote Code Execution via Malicious package.json File

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Description

<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Visual Studio Code when a user is tricked into opening a malicious 'package.json' file. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could run arbitrary code in the context of the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take control of the affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.</p> <p>To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to convince a target to clone a repository and open it in Visual Studio Code. Attacker-specified code would execute when the target opens the malicious 'package.json' file.</p> <p>The update address the vulnerability by modifying the way Visual Studio Code handles JSON files.</p>

References (1)

Core 1
Core References

Scores

CVSS v3 7.8
EPSS 0.0537
EPSS Percentile 91.8%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Details

Status published
Products (1)
microsoft/visual_studio_code < 1.48.1
Published Sep 11, 2020
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026