CVE-2022-35976 is an OS command injection vulnerability (CWE-78) found in the Weaveworks vscode-gitops-tools extension for Visual Studio Code. This extension facilitates GitOps workflows by interacting with Kubernetes clusters using kubeconfig files. The vulnerability arises because the extension improperly neutralizes special elements in kubeconfig files, allowing specially crafted kubeconfigs to execute arbitrary OS commands with the privileges of the user running VSCode. This means that if an attacker can supply or modify a kubeconfig file used by the extension, they can execute arbitrary code on the victim's machine. Notably, this issue is specific to the vscode-gitops-tools extension; the same kubeconfig files do not cause arbitrary code execution when used with the standard kubectl CLI tool. The affected versions range from 0.5.0 up to and including 0.20.9. The vulnerability requires that the user runs VSCode with the vulnerable extension and uses a malicious kubeconfig, which implies some level of user interaction or trust in kubeconfig sources. There are no known exploits in the wild as of the publication date. The recommended mitigation is to use only trusted kubeconfigs and update the extension to a fixed version once available. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability by enabling arbitrary code execution, potentially leading to full system compromise under the user's privileges.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those heavily invested in Kubernetes-based infrastructure and GitOps workflows using Visual Studio Code. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution on developer or operator machines, potentially allowing attackers to steal sensitive credentials, manipulate source code or deployment configurations, and pivot into internal networks. This could disrupt development pipelines, compromise containerized applications, and lead to data breaches or service outages. Since the vulnerability requires a malicious kubeconfig, organizations that accept kubeconfigs from external sources or automate kubeconfig generation without strict validation are at higher risk. The impact is particularly critical in sectors with stringent data protection requirements such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, where compromise of development environments could cascade into production environments. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against supply chains or DevOps teams, amplifying its potential damage.

1. Immediately audit all kubeconfig files used with the vscode-gitops-tools extension to ensure they originate from trusted sources and have not been tampered with. 2. Restrict permissions on kubeconfig files to prevent unauthorized modification, using OS-level access controls. 3. Implement strict validation and sanitization of kubeconfig files if they are generated or modified by automated processes. 4. Update the vscode-gitops-tools extension to the latest version that patches this vulnerability as soon as it becomes available. 5. Educate developers and DevOps personnel on the risks of using untrusted kubeconfigs and enforce policies to avoid using kubeconfigs from unknown or unverified sources. 6. Monitor development and CI/CD environments for unusual activities that could indicate exploitation attempts, such as unexpected command executions or process launches originating from VSCode. 7. Consider isolating development environments or using containerized VSCode instances to limit the impact of potential code execution. 8. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and respond to suspicious behaviors related to this vulnerability.