How to remediate – Visual Studio Code Configuration Detected

1. Introduction

Visual Studio Code Configuration Detected refers to the presence of .vscode directories accessible alongside web application code. These directories can contain sensitive information like remote connection details, credentials and launch configurations. Exposure of these files could allow an attacker unauthorized access to systems or data. This typically affects any server hosting a Visual Studio Code project with publicly accessible configuration files, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

2. Technical Explanation

The vulnerability occurs when the .vscode directory is not excluded from web server root directories. Attackers can then directly request these files via HTTP or HTTPS. The primary exploit path involves an attacker browsing for publicly accessible .vscode folders and retrieving configuration files containing sensitive data. This is a predictable resource location issue.

• Root cause: Missing access controls preventing direct access to the .vscode directory.
• Exploit mechanism: An attacker requests https://example.com/.vscode/settings.json or similar configuration files.
• Scope: Web servers hosting Visual Studio Code projects without proper configuration restrictions.

3. Detection and Assessment

To confirm vulnerability, check for the presence of .vscode directories in web server document roots. A thorough method involves scanning all accessible paths for these folders.

• Quick checks: Use a web browser to attempt access to https://example.com/.vscode/settings.json.
• Scanning: Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP can be used with directory brute-forcing to identify .vscode directories.
• Logs and evidence: Web server logs may show requests for files within the .vscode directory.

curl -I https://example.com/.vscode/settings.json

4. Solution / Remediation Steps

Fixing this issue requires restricting access to the .vscode directory or removing sensitive content from it. The following steps outline a safe remediation process.

4.1 Preparation

• Ensure you have access to modify web server configuration files. Roll back involves restoring the backup and restarting the web server.
• Changes should be approved by a senior administrator or security team member.

4.2 Implementation

1. Step 1: Modify your web server’s configuration file (e.g., .htaccess, nginx.conf, Apache VirtualHost) to deny access to the .vscode directory.
2. Step 2: Restart the web server to apply the new configuration.
3. Step 3: Verify that requests to files within the .vscode directory now return a 403 Forbidden error.

4.3 Config or Code Example

Before

# Apache .htaccess example - no restriction on .vscode directory

After

# Apache .htaccess example - deny access to .vscode directory
<Directory "/path/to/your/webroot">
  Options Indexes FollowSymLinks
  AllowOverride All
  Require all granted
  <LocationMatch "^/.vscode/">
    Order Deny,Allow
    Deny from all
  

4.4 Security Practices Relevant to This Vulnerability

Several security practices can help prevent this issue. Least privilege is key, limiting access only to necessary resources. Secure configuration management ensures consistent and safe settings. Input validation prevents malicious data from being processed.

• Practice 1: Implement least privilege principles for web server accounts and file system permissions.
• Practice 2: Regularly review and harden web server configurations, ensuring default settings are secure.

4.5 Automation (Optional)

If using infrastructure-as-code tools like Ansible, you can automate the configuration change.

# Example Ansible task to deny access to .vscode directory in Apache VirtualHost
- name: Deny access to .vscode directory in Apache VirtualHost
  lineinfile:
    path: /etc/apache2/sites-available/your_site.conf
    insertafter: '^<VirtualHost'
    line: ' <LocationMatch "^/.vscode/">n    Order Deny,Allown    Deny from alln  '
  notify: Restart Apache

5. Verification / Validation

• Post-fix check: Use curl or a web browser to request https://example.com/.vscode/settings.json; expected output should be a 403 Forbidden error.
• Re-test: Repeat the quick check from section 3, confirming access is now denied.
• Smoke test: Verify core application features (e.g., login, data retrieval) still function as expected.
• Monitoring: Monitor web server logs for any attempts to access files within the .vscode directory.

curl -I https://example.com/.vscode/settings.json

6. Preventive Measures and Monitoring

Update security baselines to include restrictions on accessing hidden directories like .vscode. Implement CI/CD pipeline checks for sensitive files in repositories. Establish a regular patch review cycle for web server software.

• Baselines: Update your CIS benchmark or internal security policy to explicitly prohibit access to the .vscode directory.
• Pipelines: Integrate SAST tools into your CI/CD pipeline to scan for sensitive data within code repositories.
• Asset and patch process: Review web server configurations quarterly, ensuring adherence to security best practices.

7. Risks, Side Effects, and Roll Back

Incorrectly configured access controls could disrupt legitimate application functionality. Always test changes in a non-production environment first. Roll back involves restoring the original web server configuration file and restarting the service.

• Risk or side effect 2: Changes to virtual host configurations could impact other hosted sites; test thoroughly.
• Roll back: Restore the original web server configuration file from backup and restart the web server service.

8. References and Resources

• Vendor advisory or bulletin: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/getstarted/settings
• NVD or CVE entry: No specific CVE is associated with this configuration issue, but it relates to CWE-538.
• Product or platform documentation relevant to the fix: Apache .htaccess documentation and Nginx configuration guides.