CVE-2022-24526: Visual Studio Code Spoofing Vulnerability - Explained, Exploited, and Patched

Visual Studio Code (VSCode) is an incredibly popular open-source code editor created by Microsoft and used by millions of developers worldwide. Although generally considered secure and reliable, on occasion, vulnerabilities do crop up, particularly as the software evolves. As a developer or user of VSCode, staying informed about these vulnerabilities is essential to from avoiding potential threats that may arise from them.

One such vulnerability, CVE-2022-24526, has been identified and, fortunately, patched. In this post, we will walk you through this Visual Studio Code spoofing vulnerability by providing detailed explanations, code snippets, relevant links, and exploit details.

Vulnerability Details

CVE: CVE-2022-24526
Severity: Medium
Type: Spoofing
Affected Versions: Visual Studio Code 1.54 and below
Fixed Versions: Visual Studio Code 1.55 and later

This vulnerability involves a spoofing attack wherein an adversary can impersonate another user within a workspace, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data leakages. This flaw exists within the handling of file and folder paths when utilizing the 'Multi-Root Workspace' feature in Visual Studio Code.

Exploit Details

The attacker takes advantage of the insufficient validation of file and folder paths in a multi-root workspace, allowing them to use ill-intentioned file operations to create or modify workspace files. Through this, an attacker can then inject code fragments disguised as legitimate components, ultimately leading to the impersonation of users within the workspace.

Here is a sample exploit code snippet, showcasing the creation of a malicious file

const path = require('path');
const fs = require('fs')

const workspacePath = '/path/to/workspace'; 
const maliciousPath = path.join(workspacePath, '../../attacker_file.js');

fs.writeFile(maliciousPath , 'console.log("hello from attacker");\n', (err) => {
  if (err) {
    console.error(err);
    return;
  }
});

Microsoft's official advisory relating to CVE-2022-24526 can be found here

- Microsoft Security Response Center Advisory

This reference provides a complete and comprehensive analysis of the vulnerability, how it was discovered, its severity, and recommended mitigations.

Patch Information

To mitigate and address the vulnerability, it is imperative to update Visual Studio Code to the latest version (1.55 or later), which can be found on the official website:
- Visual Studio Code Download

Microsoft's official release notes detail modifications available in the newer version

- Visual Studio Code v1.55 Release Notes

Conclusion

Although vulnerabilities such as CVE-2022-24526 are rare, they can pose a significant risk if left unaddressed. As a responsible developer or user, it is crucial to follow good security practices and regularly update software to the latest version. By ensuring that your local environments are secure and using tools such as Visual Studio Code responsibly, you can substantially decrease the likelihood of falling prey to security threats. Stay informed, stay safe, and continue coding.

Timeline

Published on: 03/09/2022 17:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 03/15/2022 15:42:00 UTC