dbcve.org
MongoDBDatabase / datastore

CVE-2021-32039

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-01-20
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 0.7.0 or later.
See remediation →
57/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Users with appropriate file access may be able to access unencrypted user credentials saved by MongoDB Extension for VS Code in a binary file. These credentials may be used by malicious attackers to perform unauthorized actions. This vulnerability affects all MongoDB Extension for VS Code including and prior to version 0.7.0

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The MongoDB Extension for VS Code versions 0.7.0 and prior stores user credentials in an unencrypted format within a binary configuration file. Users with file system access to the extension's storage location can read these plaintext credentials, potentially enabling unauthorized access to MongoDB databases.

MitigationUpdate MongoDB Extension for VS Code to a version newer than 0.7.0 where credentials are stored encrypted, and rotate any credentials that may have been exposed before the update was applied.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
MongoDBDatabase / datastore
Affected:<= 0.7.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check MongoDB Extension for VS Code version
    Open VS Code, go to Extensions panel, search for 'MongoDB for VS Code', and view the installed version number. Alternatively, check the extension directory in your VS Code extensions folder (typically ~/.vscode/extensions/ or %USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions) for a folder named 'mongodb.mongodb-*' and inspect its package.json for the version.
    Affected if The installed version is 0.7.0 or earlier.
  2. Locate extension storage directory
    Navigate to the MongoDB extension's storage folder within VS Code's data directory. On Linux/macOS this is typically ~/.vscode/extensions/ and on Windows %USERPROFILE%\.vscode\extensions. The specific extension folder follows the naming pattern mongodb.mongodb-*/.
    Affected if The extension is installed in a location readable by other users or processes on the system.
  3. Identify credential storage files
    Within the MongoDB extension folder, look for configuration, storage, or data files that may contain connection credentials. These are typically stored in subdirectories such as 'out/src/storage', 'extensionHost', or similar directories containing MongoDB connection strings or authentication data.
    Affected if Credential files exist in the extension directory.
  4. Examine stored credentials for encryption
    Open or inspect the credential storage files found in the previous step. Look for plaintext MongoDB connection strings, usernames, or passwords. If the credentials appear as readable plain text rather than encrypted or encoded values, the vulnerability is present.
    Affected if Credentials are stored in plaintext, readable format without encryption.

A user is affected if they have MongoDB Extension for VS Code version 0.7.0 or earlier installed and any other user or process on the same system can read the extension's storage directory containing unencrypted credentials.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 0.7.0
Interim mitigation

Update MongoDB Extension for VS Code to a version newer than 0.7.0 where credentials are stored encrypted, and rotate any credentials that may have been exposed before the update was applied.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

MongoDB Extension for VS Code version > 0.7.0 (e.g., 0.7.1 or later)

  1. Open Visual Studio Code
  2. Navigate to the Extensions panel (View > Extensions)
  3. Search for 'MongoDB for VS Code'
  4. Click on the MongoDB Extension for VS Code
  5. If an update is available, click 'Update' to install a version newer than 0.7.0
  6. Alternatively, manually download and install a version > 0.7.0 from the VS Code Marketplace or GitHub releases
  7. Restart Visual Studio Code after the update

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in MongoDB Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation1.0 h
  • Testing1.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
5.0 hours of engineering $910
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An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,456.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-32039 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data