February 20, 2026
When your editor spills your secrets
Escaping Misconfigured VSCode Extensions (2023)
VSCode extensions called “leaky,” devs clutch their SSH keys
TLDR: Researcher found severe flaws in VSCode add‑ons that could leak local files and even SSH keys, earning a $7,500 bounty. Comments split between blaming risky defaults and shrugging “it’s a mini‑browser—harden it,” with memes roasting extensions as the new toolbars and calls to audit and trim plugins.
Developers are spiraling after a researcher said misconfigured Visual Studio Code add‑ons could let attackers swipe local files—yes, even your prized SSH keys—earning a $7,500 bounty and a CVE. The blog breaks down how “webviews” (tiny web pages inside your editor) can be escaped if settings aren’t tight, turning convenience features into data vacuums. Cue panic. Comment sections erupted: one camp blasted Microsoft for shipping risky defaults; another defended the tooling, saying unpaid maintainers can’t threat‑model every edge case. Security folks chimed in with the classic “your editor is basically a browser with file access—what did you expect?” Meanwhile, plugin addicts begged, “don’t take my extensions away.” Jokes flew fast. Memes of VSCode wearing a ski mask—“hand over the ~/.ssh folder”—got upvotes. Others renamed extensions “Live Preview of Your Files… to Hackers.” A handful swore they’re going back to minimalist editors, only to be mocked: “See you in two weeks.” The biggest hot take? That extensions are the new browser toolbars—handy, bloated, and one bad update from chaos. Pragmatists dropped checklists: audit permissions, lock down settings, and stop installing random stuff. But the mood is clear: if your editor can run scripts and load web content, treat it like a mini‑computer with sharp edges. For docs, see VS Code and Webviews.
Key Points
- •The research found and disclosed three vulnerabilities in VSCode extensions and a mitigation bypass in VSCode (CVE-2022-41042).
- •Two Microsoft extensions, SARIF Viewer and Live Preview, contained high-severity flaws enabling arbitrary local file exfiltration.
- •VSCode Webviews are sandboxed UIs with controls like enableScripts, localResourceRoots, and CSP to mitigate risks.
- •Exploitation techniques demonstrated include DNS-based data exfiltration, srcdoc iframes for JavaScript execution, and DNS rebinding.
- •Proper configuration (restrictive CSP, accurate localResourceRoots, secure postMessage handlers) should prevent XSS from compromising systems.