Cyber Resilience

CVE-2024-26165

Microsoft Visual Studio Code ≤ 1.87.2

Published
12 March 2024
Modified
17 June 2026
Patch / advisory
View advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.019 78th percentile
Risk Priority 69 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2024-26165 is a high-severity Plaintext Storage of a Password (CWE-256) vulnerability in Microsoft Visual Studio Code. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Credentials In Files (T1552.001); ranked in the top 22% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SC-28 (Protection of Information at Rest) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A06:2025 Insecure Design

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Visual Studio Code Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

CWE(s)
CWE-256NVD-CWE-noinfo

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1552.001 Credentials In Files Credential Access
Adversaries may search local file systems and remote file shares for files containing insecurely stored credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
T1552 Unsecured Credentials Credential Access
Adversaries may search compromised systems to find and obtain insecurely stored credentials.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-29338Same product: Microsoft Visual Studio Code
CVE-2023-21779Same product: Microsoft Visual Studio Code
CVE-2023-24893Same product: Microsoft Visual Studio Code
CVE-2024-43488Same product: Microsoft Visual Studio Code
CVE-2023-33144Same product: Microsoft Visual Studio Code
CVE-2023-36742Same product: Microsoft Visual Studio Code
CVE-2024-20686Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2023-24946Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2024-38264Same vendor: Microsoft
CVE-2025-36258Same vendor: Microsoft

Affected Assets

microsoft
visual studio code
≤ 1.87.2

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

SC-28 Protection of Information at Rest good match

Requiring confidentiality protection of information at rest directly stops passwords from being stored in plaintext.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.DS-01 mostly match
prevents

Encryption and hashing of data-at-rest directly prevent plaintext password storage in files.

PR.AA-01 partial match
prevents

Credential management practices normally include secure storage requirements for passwords.

PR.DS-10 partial match
prevents

Protecting data-in-use can limit exposure of passwords held in memory.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.5.17 Authentication information full match
degrades

Directly requires secure handling and protection of authentication information, preventing plaintext password storage.

A.8.24 Use of cryptography mostly match
prevents

Requires use of cryptography to protect sensitive data such as passwords at rest.

A.8.28 Secure coding partial match
prevents

Secure coding practices would prevent developers from writing code that stores passwords in plaintext.

A.8.5 Secure authentication partial match
degrades

Mandates secure authentication mechanisms that inherently require hashed or encrypted credentials rather than plaintext.

A.8.10 Information deletion none match
mitigates

Requires secure deletion of sensitive information, indirectly reducing exposure of stored plaintext passwords.

References