Introduction
A newly disclosed command injection vulnerability, CVE-2025-32702, has surfaced in Microsoft Visual Studio, posing a significant risk to developers and their environments. This flaw, rated with a CVSS score of 7.8, allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands locally, potentially leading to severe compromises of development systems and sensitive data.
Affected Systems and Versions
This vulnerability specifically impacts:
- Microsoft Visual Studio 2022, versions prior to 17.13.3
Developers using these versions should immediately assess their systems and apply the necessary updates.
Technical Information
CVE-2025-32702 results from improper neutralization of special elements (CWE-77) in command strings within Visual Studio. Attackers exploit this by injecting malicious commands into the IDE's build or deployment processes. A typical vulnerable code snippet might look like:
string userInput = GetUserInput();
Process.Start("git", "clone " + userInput);If an attacker provides input such as https://legit-repo.com ; malware.exe, the system executes both the legitimate and malicious commands, leading to unauthorized code execution.
Attack Vectors
The primary attack vector is local exploitation, requiring an attacker to have physical or remote desktop access to the developer's machine. Malicious project files or compromised extensions could serve as delivery mechanisms.
Patch Information
Microsoft has addressed this vulnerability in Visual Studio version 17.13.3. Users should immediately update to this version or later. The patch can be downloaded directly from Microsoft's official update guide:
Alternative mitigations include enforcing least privilege principles and removing unverified extensions.
Detection Methods
While specific indicators of compromise have not been publicly disclosed, organizations can monitor for anomalous process creations originating from Visual Studio processes (e.g., devenv.exe). Implementing SIEM rules to detect unusual command execution patterns can help identify potential exploitation attempts.
Vendor Security History
Microsoft regularly addresses vulnerabilities through its monthly Patch Tuesday updates. The May 2025 update alone resolved 78 vulnerabilities, including several critical and actively exploited zero-days. Microsoft's rapid response to disclosed vulnerabilities demonstrates a strong commitment to security, though the recurrence of similar issues underscores the complexity of securing extensive software ecosystems.
