Description

Not failing securely ('failing open') in Visual Studio Code allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature over a network.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "8.2",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-11T17:19:07.000Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-11T17:19:07.000Z",
  "executiveSummary": "This vulnerability involves an improper error handling mechanism leading to a failure to secure state, commonly referred to as 'failing open', within Visual Studio Code. The security flaw allows an unauthenticated, network-based unauthorized attacker to bypass implemented security controls and features.\nThe primary impact of this vulnerability is the compromise of security feature enforcement, potentially granting unauthorized access or capability bypass to malicious actors interacting over the network. The affected product is Visual Studio Code. The risk implications are severe, as security boundaries designed to protect the system or session can be circumvented during error conditions or exception handling states.\nAttacker capabilities include leveraging network connectivity to trigger the flaw, exploiting the system's inability to default to a secure posture when an error or security exception occurs. No specific exploitation requirements beyond network access to the vulnerable component or service are detailed, though the attack relies on the software's inherent design flaw where failures bypass validation checks rather than terminating or restricting access securely.",
  "technicalDetails": "The root cause of the vulnerability stems from inadequate exception handling and state management within Visual Studio Code, specifically characterized by a 'fail-open' logic flaw. When security checks, validations, or internal operations encounter an exception, error, or unexpected state, the application fails to default to a restrictive, secure-by-default posture. Instead, it permits execution or grants access to proceed as if the security checks had passed successfully.\nThe vulnerable component involves the security enforcement logic within Visual Studio Code that processes network-based requests or internal authorization states. The affected versions encompass instances where this improper error handling logic is present. The authentication requirements are minimal or absent for the network attacker, as the failure mechanism itself invalidates the necessity for valid credentials or elevated privilege requirements by bypassing the validation gate entirely.\nNetwork exposure is a critical factor, as the vulnerability is exploitable over a network, allowing remote actors to interact with the target environment. The attack flow proceeds as follows: First, the attacker initiates a network-based interaction or request designed to trigger an error condition or exception within the security validation routine of Visual Studio Code. Second, upon encountering the error or unexpected input, the application's error handling routine fails securely, opting instead to bypass the security feature or permission check. Third, the application grants access or continues execution, allowing the attacker to successfully bypass the intended security control without valid authentication or authorization. Post-exploitation impact includes unauthorized feature access, potential lateral movement depending on the context of Visual Studio Code execution, and compromise of the application's security boundary."
}