CVE-2020-16977
7.0 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2020-16977 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting microsoft visual_studio_code. It was published on October 16, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical Description
<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Visual Studio Code when the Python extension loads a Jupyter notebook file. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could run arbitrary code in the context of the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take control of the affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.</p>
<p>To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to convince a target to open a specially crafted file in Visual Studio Code with the Python extension installed.</p>
<p>The update addresses the vulnerability by modifying the way Visual Studio Code Python extension renders notebook content.</p>
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from microsoft. Update visual_studio_code to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2020-16977?
CVE-2020-16977 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting microsoft visual_studio_code. It was published on October 16, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2020-16977?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.0, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2020-16977?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from microsoft. Update visual_studio_code to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2020-16977?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2020-16977 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
Automated penetration testing that runs continuously, not just quarterly.
AI-driven PR review catches vulnerable dependencies before they ship.
Browser-based exploitation validates findings with real proof-of-concept.
Related HIGH CVEs from 2020
View all →The Richtext Editor in Pega Platform before 8.2.6 is affected by a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
Pega Platform before version 8.2.6 is affected by a Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability
In PrestaShop from version 1.5.0.0 and before version 1.7.6.6, the authentication system is malforme
The Table Filter and Charts for Confluence Server app before 5.3.25 (for Atlassian Confluence) allow
<p>A tampering vulnerability exists when Microsoft SharePoint Server fails to properly handle profil
Yii 2 (yiisoft/yii2) before version 2.0.38 is vulnerable to remote code execution if the application
OpenSlides is a free, Web-based presentation and assembly system for managing and projecting agenda,
libsixel 1.8.4 has an integer overflow in sixel_frame_resize in frame.c.
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in Opsview before 4.4.1 and Opsview Core before 2013
ngiflib 0.4 has a heap-based buffer over-read in GifIndexToTrueColor in ngiflib.c.
obs-server before 1.7.7 allows logins by 'unconfirmed' accounts due to a bug in the REST api impleme
SQL injection vulnerability in the Jomres (com_jomres) component before 7.3.1 for Joomla! allows rem