# CVE-2026-120780: Microsoft Visual Studio Code improper access control

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-120780-improper-access-control-in-visual-studio-code-allows-an  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-11-10. Updated: 2026-11-10  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-120780 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.3 · Published 2026-11-10

Visual Studio Code, a widely-used source code editor, contains an access control vulnerability that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on a user's system over a network. An unauthenticated attacker could potentially gain full control of the development environment and any systems accessed through it, creating a foothold for malware or data theft.

Technologies: [Microsoft Visual Studio Code](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/visual-studio-code). Vendors: [Microsoft](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/microsoft).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-120780 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-120780 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-120780?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.3, published 10 November 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Microsoft Visual Studio Code.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-120780?** 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-2026-120780 attacked?** It is attacked over the network.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-120780?** 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

An improper access control flaw in Visual Studio Code permits remote code execution without authentication. The vulnerability requires network access and is exploitable through the editor's exposed interfaces or extensions. Successful exploitation grants the attacker code execution privileges within the user's development environment.

## Affected products

- Microsoft Visual Studio Code

## Timeline

- 2026-11-10: disclosed

## References

- [https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-120780](https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-120780)

## Related threats

- [Microsoft Visual Studio Code untrusted search path remote code execution](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-70094-untrusted-search-path-in-visual-studio-code-allows-an)
- [Visual Studio Code trust boundary violation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-121665-trust-boundary-violation-in-visual-studio-code-allows-an)
- [Microsoft Visual Studio Code cross-site scripting](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-121664-improper-neutralization-of-input-during-web-page-generation)
- [Microsoft Visual Studio Code incomplete input validation security bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-121663-incomplete-list-of-disallowed-inputs-in-visual-studio-code)
- [Visual Studio Code command injection vulnerability](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-121662-improper-neutralization-of-special-elements-used-in-a-command)