CVE-2025-21264
Published: 13 May 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-21264 is a high-severity Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties (CWE-552) vulnerability in Microsoft Visual Studio Code. Its CVSS base score is 7.1 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 24.5% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
CVE-2025-21264 is a files or directories accessible to external parties vulnerability, tracked under CWE-552, that affects Visual Studio Code. The flaw permits an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature when operating locally, and carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 reflecting local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, and required user interaction together with changed scope and high confidentiality impact.
An unauthenticated local attacker can exploit the issue by presenting malicious files or directories to the application, resulting in bypass of the intended security control and potential disclosure of sensitive information along with limited integrity effects.
Microsoft has published an advisory for the vulnerability at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-21264. The associated EPSS score remains low, with a current value of 0.0086 and a peak of 0.0124.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-14440
Vulnerability details
Files or directories accessible to external parties in Visual Studio Code allows an unauthorized attacker to bypass a security feature locally.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Controls on authorized publication limit files and directories with nonpublic data from becoming accessible to external parties.
Controlling and documenting P2P file sharing prevents files and directories from being made accessible to external parties for unauthorized distribution.
Identifying and documenting file and directory locations allows restriction of access to external parties.
Protecting backup files ensures they are not accessible to external parties or unauthorized spheres.
Sanitizing equipment before off-site maintenance reduces the risk of files or directories containing sensitive data becoming accessible to external parties.
Policy restricts media access to authorized parties only, preventing exposure of resources to external or unauthorized actors.
Media access restrictions prevent files or directories from being accessible to external parties.
Employing and evaluating controls at documented alternate sites makes files and directories less likely to be accessible to external parties through physical or environmental weaknesses.