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Vulnerability record · CVE-2026-25931 · published 9 February 2026

CVE-2026-25931: Incorrect default permissions vulnerability

vscode-spell-checker is a basic spell checker that works well with code and documents. Prior to v4.5.4, DocumentSettings._determineIsTrusted treats the configuration value cSpell.trustedWorkspace as the authoritative trust flag. The value defaults to true (package.json) and is read from workspace configuration each time settings are fetched. The code coerces any truthy value to true and forwards it to ConfigLoader.setIsTrusted , which in turn allows JavaScript/TypeScript configuration files ( .cspell.config.js/.mjs/.ts , etc.) to be located and executed. Because no VS Code workspace-trust state is consulted, an untrusted workspace can keep the flag true and place a malicious .cspell.config.js ; opening the workspace causes the extension host to execute attacker-controlled Node.js code with the user’s privileges. This vulnerability is fixed in v4.5.4.

7.8 CVSS 3.1 High EPSS 0.18% · top 92.9% CWE-276 · Incorrect default permissionsCWE-807 · CWE-807 Deferred
7.8CVSS 3.1 base score
0.18%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
0Affected product versions listed by NVD
4References
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

vscode-spell-checker is a basic spell checker that works well with code and documents. Prior to v4.5.4, DocumentSettings._determineIsTrusted treats the configuration value cSpell.trustedWorkspace as the authoritative trust flag. The value defaults to true (package.json) and is read from workspace configuration each time settings are fetched. The code coerces any truthy value to true and forwards it to ConfigLoader.setIsTrusted , which in turn allows JavaScript/TypeScript configuration files ( .cspell.config.js/.mjs/.ts , etc.) to be located and executed. Because no VS Code workspace-trust state is consulted, an untrusted workspace can keep the flag true and place a malicious .cspell.config.js ; opening the workspace causes the extension host to execute attacker-controlled Node.js code with the user’s privileges. This vulnerability is fixed in v4.5.4.

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

References

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Related vulnerabilities

Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2026-25931), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.