CVE-2024-20656: 
vulnerability analysis and mitigation

Microsoft Visual Studio contains an elevation of privilege vulnerability (CVE-2024-20656) that was discovered by security researcher Filip Dragović. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Visual Studio, including Visual Studio 2015 Update 3, Visual Studio 2017, Visual Studio 2019, and Visual Studio 2022. The issue was officially disclosed and patched as part of Microsoft's January 2024 Patch Tuesday updates (Microsoft Advisory).

The vulnerability exists in the VSStandardCollectorService150 service, which is used for diagnostic purposes by Visual Studio and runs in the NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM context. The flaw allows for arbitrary file DACL (Discretionary Access Control List) reset operations. Microsoft has assigned this vulnerability a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (High), with the vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H (NVD, Security Online).

An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability could gain SYSTEM privileges on affected systems, effectively achieving the highest level of access on a Windows machine. This level of access would allow complete control over the affected system (Microsoft Advisory).

Microsoft has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Users are advised to install the latest updates for their respective Visual Studio versions. For Visual Studio 2015 Update 3, users must have both Visual Studio 2015 Update 3 and the Cumulative Servicing Release KB 3165756 installed before applying the security update (Microsoft Support).