CVE-2020-1416 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code when they load software dependencies, aka 'Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.

Understanding CVE-2020-1416

This CVE affects various products from Microsoft including Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, Azure Storage Explorer, and TypeScript.

What is CVE-2020-1416?

CVE-2020-1416 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability found in Microsoft Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code during the loading of software dependencies.

The Impact of CVE-2020-1416

This vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges on the affected system, potentially leading to further compromise.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-1416

CVE ID: CVE-2020-1416

Vulnerability Description

Type: Elevation of Privilege
Vulnerability: Improper handling of software dependencies

Affected Systems and Versions

Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 version 16.6 (includes 16.0 - 16.5)
Visual Studio Code
Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 version 15.9 (includes 15.0 - 15.8)
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019
Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 version 16.4 (includes 16.0 - 16.3)
Azure Storage Explorer
TypeScript

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability occurs when the affected products load certain software dependencies, allowing an attacker to exploit this behavior to gain elevated privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security updates provided by Microsoft
Monitor for any unusual activities on the system
Restrict user permissions to minimize the impact of potential attacks

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and applications to patch known vulnerabilities
Conduct security assessments to identify and address potential weaknesses in the system

Patching and Updates

Ensure all Microsoft products are kept up to date with the latest security patches