CVE-2026-78461Network attack vector

Security feature bypass via crafted pathname

Published Sep 8, 2026 · Updated Sep 9, 2026

Path traversal in Microsoft Visual Studio Code before 1.136.2 allows remote attackers to bypass a security feature via a crafted pathname. Microsoft's public record does not identify the affected code locus or disclose how pathname validation fails. Exploitation requires user interaction and can expose data across a changed security boundary, while integrity and availability remain unaffected.

CVSS severity7.4
High
EPSS probability1.04%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Path traversal in Microsoft Visual Studio Code before 1.136.2 allows remote attackers to bypass a security feature via a crafted pathname. Microsoft's public record does not identify the affected code locus or disclose how pathname validation fails. Exploitation requires user interaction and can expose data across a changed security boundary, while integrity and availability remain unaffected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-78461
Published
Sep 8, 2026
Updated
Sep 9, 2026
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Visual Studio Code
Classifications
CWE-22, T1204
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 9, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1.0.0 <1.136.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Visual Studio Codeversion=1.0.0 <1.136.2

Published CVSS scores

7.4MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
T1204User Execution

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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