CVE-2026-102851: Microsoft Visual Studio Code privilege assignment bypass

CVE-2026-102851 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6.1 · Published 2026-10-13

Visual Studio Code, a widely-used code editor, contains a privilege assignment vulnerability that allows an authorized user to bypass a local security feature. An attacker with existing access to the system could escalate capabilities or circumvent protections intended to restrict their actions within the application.

Technologies: Microsoft Visual Studio Code. Vendors: Microsoft.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2026-102851 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-102851 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2026-102851?
Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6.1, published 13 October 2026.
Which products and versions are affected?
Microsoft Visual Studio Code.
Is there a fix for CVE-2026-102851?
No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.
How is CVE-2026-102851 attacked?
It is attacked with local access.
Am I affected by CVE-2026-102851?
Check whether you run Microsoft Visual Studio Code. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

Technical details

The vulnerability stems from incorrect privilege assignment logic in Visual Studio Code, allowing an authorized local attacker to bypass a security feature. The attack requires prior authentication or system access and operates via local attack vector. Successful exploitation permits circumvention of security controls without necessarily gaining full system compromise.

Affected products

  • Microsoft Visual Studio Code

References

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