CVE-2026-81377Network attack vector

File tampering via unvalidated MCP metadata paths

Published Sep 8, 2026 · Updated Sep 9, 2026

Path traversal in Visual Studio Code before 1.136.2 allows remote attackers to overwrite files via malicious MCP gallery metadata. MCP server management uses an untrusted server name and version to resolve a metadata directory without ensuring that the path remains a single child directory. Exploitation requires a user to install, update, or uninstall an attacker-controlled server; writes can replace metadata outside MCP storage, and uninstall can recursively delete an unintended directory.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.76%
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 Visual Studio Code before 1.136.2 allows remote attackers to overwrite files via malicious MCP gallery metadata. MCP server management uses an untrusted server name and version to resolve a metadata directory without ensuring that the path remains a single child directory. Exploitation requires a user to install, update, or uninstall an attacker-controlled server; writes can replace metadata outside MCP storage, and uninstall can recursively delete an unintended directory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-81377
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

6.5MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/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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