CVE-2026-78461 Visual Studio Code Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

High 7.4 Published 8 Sep 2026 Updated 14 Oct 2026

An attacker can bypass security features in Visual Studio Code via path traversal, requiring a patch to mitigate.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Over the internet
Victim action needed: A user has to click or open something
Fix: None listed

What is CVE-2026-78461?

CVE-2026-78461 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Visual Studio Code, published on 8 Sep 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

Official description

Improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory ('path traversal') in Visual Studio Code allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature over a network.

Weakness: CWE-22

Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-78461?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Microsoft Visual Studio Code.

How do I fix CVE-2026-78461?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-78461 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

Is CVE-2026-78461 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-78461 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Microsoft Visual Studio Code vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as GHSA-w2g5-8p9x-93xj.