CVE-2023-36796: Visual Studio Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Overview

Severity

High (CVSS 7.8)

CVSS Vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Category

Remote Code Execution

Exploit Status

Not Exploited

Exploitation Likelihood

Less Likely

Patch Tuesday

2023-Sep

Released

2023-09-12

Last Updated

2023-12-12

EPSS Score

1.24% (percentile: 79.2%)

FAQ

According to the CVSS metric, the attack vector is local (AV:L). Why does the CVE title indicate that this is a remote code execution? The word Remote in the title refers to the location of the attacker. This type of exploit is sometimes referred to as Arbitrary Code Execution (ACE). The attack itself is carried out locally. This means an attacker or victim needs to execute code from the local machine to exploit the vulnerability. According to the CVSS metric, user interaction is required (UI:R). What interaction would the user have to do? Exploitation of this vulnerability requires that an attacker convinces a user to open a maliciously crafted package file in Visual Studio.

Affected Products (78)

Developer Tools

• Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.6
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.7
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 version 15.9 (includes 15.0 - 15.8)
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.2
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 version 16.11 (includes 16.0 - 16.10)
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.4
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Update 5
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 Update 3
• .NET 7.0
• .NET 6.0
• PowerShell 7.2
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows Server 2022
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 on Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 on Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 on Windows Server 2012
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows Server 2022 (Server Core installation)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 on Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 on Windows Server 2016
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 on Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows 11 version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 on Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows 11 version 21H2 for x64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows Server 2019
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 on Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows 10 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 on Windows Server 2012 R2
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows 10 Version 21H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows 10 Version 21H2 for 32-bit Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows 10 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows 10 Version 21H2 for x64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8 on Windows 10 Version 22H2 for 32-bit Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 on Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.7.2 on Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.7.2 on Windows 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.7.2 on Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.7.2 on Windows Server 2019
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.7.2 on Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems
• Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows Server 2016
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows Server 2012
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows Server 2012 R2
• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)
• ... and 28 more

Security Updates (33)

• Release Notes
• Release Notes
• Release Notes
• Release Notes
• Release Notes
• Release Notes
• 5029365
• 5029366
• 5032875
• 5032874
• Release Notes
• 5030186
• 5029924
• 5030183
• 5030178
• 5030184
• 5030181
• 5030182
• 5030180
• 5030178
• 5030213
• 5030182
• 5030183
• 5030184
• 5030186
• 5030181
• 5030179
• 5031217
• 5030220
• 5030185
• ... and 3 more

Acknowledgments

goodbyeselene, goodbyeselene

Revision History

• 2023-09-12: Information published.
• 2023-09-20: Revised the Security Updates table to include PowerShell 7.2 because this version of PowerShell 7 is affected by this vulnerability. See https://github.com/PowerShell/Announcements/issues/50 for more information.
• 2023-09-26: In the Security Update table, corrected Article links for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.8.1 installed on Windows 11 Version 22H2 for x64-based Systems and Windows 11 Version 22H2 for ARM64-based Systems. This is an informational change only.
• 2023-10-10: In the Security Updates table, added Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Update 5 and Visual Studio 2015 Update 3 as these versions of Visual Studio are also affected by the vulnerability. Microsoft recommends that customers running any of these products install the updates to be fully protected from the vulnerability.
• 2023-10-24: To comprehensively address this vulnerability, Microsoft has released security updates on October 24, 2023 for all affected versions of .NET and Microsoft Visual Studio. Microsoft recommends that customers install the updates to be fully protected from the vulnerability.
• 2023-10-24: In the Security Updates table, added .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.6.2 installed on Windows 10 for 32-bit systems and Windows 10 for x64-based systems; added .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.6.2/4.7./4.7.1/4.7.2 installed on all supported editions of Windows 10 version 1607 and Windows Server 2016 as these versions of .NET Framework are affected by this vulnerability. Microsoft recommends that customers install the September 2023 updates to be fully protected from this vulnerability. Customers whose systems are configured to receive automatic updates do not need to take any further action.
• 2023-11-02: Corrected Download and Article links in the Security Updates table. This is an informational change only.
• 2023-11-14: Microsoft is rereleasing KB5029366 to address the following known issue: Customers who are using Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 Update 3 might receive a "C2471" error after attempting to compile a build that has precompiled headers (PCH) that use the /Gm and /ZI (Edit and Continue) switches. Microsoft recommends that customers install the update and remove any workarounds that were applied. For more information see KB5029366.
• 2023-11-21: In the Security Updates table: 1) Corrected the Build Number for Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.7 to 17.7.6. 2) Corrected the Download and Article links for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 AND 4.6.2/4.7/4.7.1/4.7.2 on Windows Server 2016. These are informational changes only. Customers who have installed the latest versions do not need to take any further action.
• 2023-12-12: Microsoft is rereleasing KB5029365 to address the following known issue: Customers who are using Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Update 5 might receive a "C2471" error after attempting to compile a build that has precompiled headers (PCH) that use the /Gm and /ZI (Edit and Continue) switches. Microsoft recommends that customers install the update and remove any workarounds that were applied. For more information see KB5029365.