# CVE-2026-81376: Visual Studio Code Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

> An attacker can bypass a security feature in Visual Studio Code via an incomplete comparison, requiring a patch to mitigate.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **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 available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x6gf-c826-8c9m

## What is CVE-2026-81376?

CVE-2026-81376 is a critical 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

Incomplete comparison with missing factors in Visual Studio Code allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature over a network.

Weakness: CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure), CWE-1023 (Incomplete Comparison with Missing Factors)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-81376?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Visual Studio Code.

## How do I fix CVE-2026-81376?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-81376 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2026-81376 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-81376 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Visual Studio Code

- [CVE-2026-47281](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-47281/): Visual Studio Code Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2026-78462](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-78462/): Visual Studio Code Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-59113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-59113/): Visual Studio Code Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-69320](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-69320/): Visual Studio Code Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-70336](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-70336/): Visual Studio Code Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-81376 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-81376 is a critical 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.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-81376 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Visual Studio Code. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-81376/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-81376/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-81376
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-81376
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-81376

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-81376/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.