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CVE Record

CVE-2020-17148: Visual Studio Code Remote Development Extension Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Visual Studio Code Remote Development Extension Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a high-severity Microsoft vulnerability in the Visual Studio Code Remote - SSH Extension, listed for version 1.0.0. Successful exploitation could let code run with serious confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact, but the provided CVSS data requires user interaction and local attack context.

Executive priority

Prioritize remediation for engineering endpoints because compromise could affect source code, credentials, or build workflows. No active exploitation is evidenced in the provided sources, but Microsoft has published a patch reference.

Technical view

MSRC classifies CVE-2020-17148 as remote code execution in the Visual Studio Code Remote Development Extension. The bundle identifies Visual Studio Code Remote - SSH Extension 1.0.0 as affected. CVSS 3.1 is 7.8, with AV:L, PR:N, UI:R, and high C/I/A impact.

Likely exposure

Exposure is most likely on developer workstations or build environments using the affected VS Code Remote - SSH extension version. The bundle does not identify server-side products, cloud services, or additional affected versions.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation. CVSS indicates exploitation requires user interaction and a local attack vector, so treat it as serious but not confirmed as actively exploited from these sources.

Researcher notes

Evidence is limited to CVE/MSRC metadata. The bundle does not provide root cause, exploit primitives, proof-of-concept details, or exact fixed version text. Avoid expanding scope beyond the named VS Code Remote - SSH Extension 1.0.0.

Mitigation direction

  • Review the MSRC advisory for the vendor-approved fix.
  • Update Visual Studio Code Remote - SSH Extension from affected version 1.0.0.
  • Confirm developer endpoints are not pinned to vulnerable extension versions.
  • Use vendor guidance for exact fixed versions and deployment handling.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory VS Code Remote - SSH extension versions across developer machines.
  • Check whether version 1.0.0 is installed anywhere.
  • Verify patched extension versions after update rollout.
  • Document exceptions where endpoints cannot be immediately updated.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
4

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

description · low confidence lookup

Execution behavior lookup

The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2020-17148 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
1ADP providers
3Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C1.85.9microsoft

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2020-17148Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CVECVE Program Container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
MicrosoftVisual Studio Code Remote - SSH Extension1.0.0Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.