CVE-2026-120779: Visual Studio Code Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
CVE-2026-120779 is a remote code execution vulnerability in Visual Studio Code, rated Important by Microsoft, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.6 (Critical). An attacker can exploit it remotely over the network, without any privileges and only if a user takes an action. Microsoft has not reported exploitation in the wild and rates exploitation as less likely. Microsoft released the fix on 10 November 2026 in the November 2026 Patch Tuesday. It affects 1 product in 1 product family (Developer Tools).
Key facts
- CVE ID
- CVE-2026-120779
- Severity
- Critical CVSS 9.6
- Microsoft severity
- Important
- Impact
- Remote Code Execution
- Exploited in the wild
- No
- Publicly disclosed
- No
- Exploitation likelihood
- Less Likely
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Released
- Last updated
- Patch Tuesday
- November 2026 Patch Tuesday
- Product families
- Developer Tools
CVSS score and vector
Microsoft scores CVE-2026-120779 at 9.6 (temporal 8.3) using CVSS 3.1. Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Attack vector | Network |
| Attack complexity | Low |
| Privileges required | None |
| User interaction | Required |
| Scope | Changed |
| Confidentiality impact | High |
| Integrity impact | High |
| Availability impact | High |
| Exploit code maturity | Unproven |
| Remediation level | Official fix |
| Report confidence | Confirmed |
Description
Improper control of generation of code ('code injection') in Visual Studio Code allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.
Frequently asked questions (Microsoft)
How could an attacker exploit this vulnerability?
An unauthenticated attacker who controls a remote MCP server could convince a user to connect Visual Studio Code to that server and click a specially crafted link in a notification. Successful exploitation could allow the attacker to execute code with the user's permissions.
Affected products (1)
Developer Tools
| Product | Security update | Type | Fixed build | Restart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual Studio Code | Release Notes | Security Update | 1.145.3 |
Acknowledgments
- William Conlon with Microsoft
- Dohyeok Kim (@dohki)
- Myungyong Lee
Revision history
| Version | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Information published. |