CVE-2026-22718 is a vulnerability identified in the Spring CLI extension for Visual Studio Code, specifically affecting versions 0.9.0 and earlier. The root cause is improper neutralization of special characters in user inputs that are passed to operating system commands, classified under CWE-78 (OS Command Injection). This vulnerability allows an attacker with local access and limited privileges to craft input that leads to arbitrary command execution on the host machine. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring low attack complexity (AC:L), and limited privileges (PR:L), with user interaction (UI:R) necessary to trigger the exploit. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity highly, as arbitrary commands can lead to data theft or modification, while availability impact is low. The scope remains unchanged (S:U), meaning the exploit affects only the vulnerable component. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the risk remains significant for developers using the affected extension. The vulnerability was published on January 14, 2026, and no patches are currently linked, indicating a need for vendor action. The Spring CLI VSCode extension is widely used in Java development environments, making this a relevant threat to software development workflows.

For European organizations, particularly those with active Java development teams using Visual Studio Code and the Spring CLI extension, this vulnerability poses a risk of local system compromise. Attackers could execute arbitrary commands, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, code tampering, or lateral movement within development environments. Confidentiality and integrity of source code and sensitive configuration files could be compromised. Although the attack requires local access and user interaction, insider threats or malware could exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges or persist on developer machines. The impact on availability is limited but could include disruption of development activities. Organizations in Europe with strong software development sectors, such as Germany, France, the UK, and the Netherlands, are more likely to be affected due to higher adoption rates of these tools. Additionally, organizations handling sensitive intellectual property or operating in regulated industries face increased risk from data breaches or code integrity violations.

Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting the use of the vulnerable Spring CLI VSCode extension version 0.9.0 and older. Organizations should monitor for vendor patches and apply updates promptly once available. Until a patch is released, developers should avoid opening untrusted projects or inputs that could trigger command injection. Implement strict input validation and sanitization within development workflows to prevent malicious inputs. Employ endpoint protection solutions that can detect anomalous command executions. Use sandboxing or containerization for development environments to limit the impact of potential exploits. Educate developers about the risks of installing unverified extensions and encourage the use of trusted sources. Regularly audit installed extensions and remove those that are outdated or unsupported. Finally, implement strict access controls and monitoring on developer machines to detect and respond to suspicious activities quickly.