CVE-2024-29060 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability identified in Microsoft Visual Studio 2022, specifically version 17.10. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284, which pertains to improper access control. This means that the software does not adequately restrict access to certain resources or functions, allowing a user with limited privileges to gain higher privileges than intended. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.7, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L/E:U/RL:O/RC:C) reveals that the attack vector is network-based (AV:N), but requires high attack complexity (AC:H), low privileges (PR:L), and user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), but the impact on confidentiality and integrity is high (C:H, I:H), with a low impact on availability (A:L). The exploitability is currently unknown in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability allows an attacker who can convince a user to interact with a malicious payload or link to escalate their privileges within the Visual Studio environment, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive code, project files, or development tools. Given Visual Studio’s role as a primary integrated development environment (IDE) for software development, exploitation could lead to compromise of development workflows, insertion of malicious code, or unauthorized access to proprietary intellectual property.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for enterprises relying heavily on Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 for software development. Unauthorized privilege escalation could allow attackers to bypass security controls within the development environment, potentially leading to source code theft, insertion of backdoors or malicious code, and disruption of software development lifecycle integrity. This could affect sectors with high reliance on proprietary software development such as finance, automotive, telecommunications, and government agencies. The confidentiality and integrity impacts are particularly concerning as they could undermine trust in software products and lead to intellectual property loss or compliance violations under regulations like GDPR if sensitive data is exposed. Although the attack complexity is high and user interaction is required, targeted phishing or social engineering campaigns could facilitate exploitation. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often develop exploits after public disclosure.

European organizations should prioritize updating Visual Studio 2022 to the latest version as soon as Microsoft releases a patch addressing CVE-2024-29060. Until a patch is available, organizations should implement strict access controls and limit the use of Visual Studio 2022 version 17.10 to trusted users only. Employ application whitelisting and monitor for unusual privilege escalation attempts within development environments. Enhance user awareness training focusing on phishing and social engineering risks to reduce the likelihood of successful exploitation requiring user interaction. Network segmentation can help isolate development environments from broader corporate networks to limit lateral movement if exploitation occurs. Additionally, organizations should audit and monitor logs for suspicious activities related to Visual Studio processes and privilege changes. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior in development tools. Finally, consider temporary use of alternative IDE versions or tools if feasible until the vulnerability is patched.