CVE-2026-21516: GitHub Copilot for Jetbrains Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Overview

Severity
High (CVSS 8.8)
CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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
2026-Feb
Released
2026-02-10
EPSS Score
0.03% (percentile: 7.3%)

Description

Improper neutralization of special elements used in a command ('command injection') in Github Copilot allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

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.

Affected Products (1)

Other

  • GitHub Copilot Plugin for JetBrains IDEs

Security Updates (1)

Acknowledgments

7resp4ss and Guang Gong with 360 VRI

Revision History

  • 2026-02-10: Information published.