Security Digest · Vulnerability record
CVE-2025-53773: GitHub Copilot and Visual Studio Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Improper neutralization of special elements used in a command ('command injection') in GitHub Copilot and Visual Studio allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.
CVSS 7.8 High EPSS 3.2% · p88 Check exposure
Should you act?
Normal patch cycle
No exploitation signal; fix it in your next routine update if you are affected. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.
- No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
- EPSS 3.2%, percentile 88: FIRST’s model estimates a 3.2% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 88% of all scored CVEs (elevated). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs local access needed. Lower urgency for most teams unless an attacker could already run code on the machine.
- Editorial verdict: Check exposure. GitHub Copilot "YOLO Mode" Prompt Injection RCE — Patched in August 2025 and not known to be exploited, but enterprise Visual Studio installs lag and the autoApprove setting can still be turned on by hand, so verify both.
What it is
Improper neutralization of special elements used in a command ('command injection') in GitHub Copilot and Visual Studio allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.
Weakness type: CWE-77.
Product: Microsoft Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.14 · Assigned by: microsoft · Published: 2025-08-12
Affected and fixed versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions (per CVE record) |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 version 17.14 | 17.14.0 < 17.14.12 |
Severity scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| microsoft | 3.1 | 7.8 High | 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: local access needed
- Attack complexity: low
- Privileges required: none (no login)
- User interaction: required (a user must click/open something)
- Scope: unchanged
CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.
Exploitation and urgency
- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none, automatable no, technical impact total.
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 3.24% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 88.
Timeline
- — CVE record published by microsoft
- — erroneo.us brief: GitHub Copilot "YOLO Mode" Prompt Injection RCE
- — CVE record last updated
Sources and references
Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.
Vendor and project advisories, patches
- GitHub Copilot and Visual Studio Remote Code Execution Vulnerability msrc.microsoft.com
Vulnerability records
- CVE.org record CVE-2025-53773 cve.org
- NVD entry CVE-2025-53773 nvd.nist.gov
Other references from the CVE record and advisory
- embracethered.com embracethered.com
- news.ycombinator.com news.ycombinator.com