📄 Description (English)
Improper neutralization of special elements used in a command ('command injection') in Github Copilot allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2026-21516 is a command injection vulnerability in GitHub Copilot for JetBrains IDEs (CVSS 8.8) that allows remote code execution through improper neutralization of special elements in commands. While no public exploit is currently available, the high severity score and network-accessible nature of the vulnerability pose significant risk to development environments. Immediate patching is critical for organizations using GitHub Copilot in their development workflows.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 22, 2026 14:35
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability poses significant risk to Saudi technology and financial sectors. Primary impact areas include: (1) Banking sector (SAMA-regulated institutions) - development teams using GitHub Copilot for fintech applications and banking infrastructure; (2) Government agencies and NCA-regulated entities - development of critical systems and digital transformation initiatives; (3) Telecommunications (STC, Mobily) - development of network management and customer-facing applications; (4) Energy sector (ARAMCO, utilities) - development teams working on operational technology and digital systems; (5) Healthcare institutions - development of health information systems. The vulnerability could allow attackers to compromise source code, inject malicious code into production systems, and gain unauthorized access to sensitive development environments and intellectual property.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking and Financial Services
Government and Public Sector
Telecommunications
Energy and Utilities
Healthcare
Technology and Software Development
Defense and Security
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
8.2
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all instances of GitHub Copilot for JetBrains IDEs across your organization using asset inventory tools
2. Disable GitHub Copilot in JetBrains IDEs until patch is applied
3. Review recent code suggestions and commits made with Copilot for suspicious patterns
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Update GitHub Copilot plugin to the latest patched version immediately
2. Update JetBrains IDE to the latest stable version
3. Verify patch installation by checking plugin version in IDE settings
4. Test functionality in non-production environment before full rollout
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if immediate patching not possible):
1. Restrict GitHub Copilot usage to non-sensitive code only
2. Implement code review requirements for all Copilot-generated code
3. Isolate development machines using Copilot on separate network segments
4. Monitor IDE processes for suspicious command execution patterns
DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor for unusual process execution from JetBrains IDE processes (java.exe, idea.exe)
2. Alert on unexpected network connections from development machines
3. Monitor IDE logs for command injection attempts or special character sequences
4. Track GitHub Copilot API calls for anomalous patterns
5. Implement EDR rules to detect code execution from IDE plugin processes
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تحديد جميع حالات GitHub Copilot لـ JetBrains IDEs عبر المنظمة باستخدام أدوات جرد الأصول
2. تعطيل GitHub Copilot في JetBrains IDEs حتى يتم تطبيق التصحيح
3. مراجعة اقتراحات الكود والالتزامات الأخيرة التي تم إجراؤها باستخدام Copilot للبحث عن أنماط مريبة
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. تحديث مكون GitHub Copilot الإضافي إلى أحدث إصدار مصحح فوراً
2. تحديث JetBrains IDE إلى أحدث إصدار مستقر
3. التحقق من تثبيت التصحيح بفحص إصدار المكون الإضافي في إعدادات IDE
4. اختبار الوظائف في بيئة غير الإنتاج قبل الطرح الكامل
الضوابط البديلة (إذا لم يكن التصحيح الفوري ممكناً):
1. تقييد استخدام GitHub Copilot على الكود غير الحساس فقط
2. تنفيذ متطلبات مراجعة الكود لجميع الأكواد التي تم إنشاؤها بواسطة Copilot
3. عزل أجهزة التطوير التي تستخدم Copilot على أجزاء شبكة منفصلة
4. مراقبة عمليات IDE للبحث عن أنماط تنفيذ الأوامر المريبة
قواعد الكشف:
1. مراقبة تنفيذ العمليات غير المعتادة من عمليات JetBrains IDE (java.exe, idea.exe)
2. التنبيه على الاتصالات الشبكية غير المتوقعة من أجهزة التطوير
3. مراقبة سجلات IDE لمحاولات حقن الأوامر أو تسلسلات الأحرف الخاصة
4. تتبع استدعاءات GitHub Copilot API للبحث عن أنماط شاذة
5. تنفيذ قواعد EDR للكشف عن تنفيذ الكود من عمليات مكون IDE الإضافي
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.5.1.1 - Information security policies and procedures
ECC 2024 A.6.1.1 - Access control and authentication
ECC 2024 A.8.1.1 - Malware protection and prevention
ECC 2024 A.12.2.1 - Change management and configuration control
ECC 2024 A.12.6.1 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.AM-2 - Software and hardware inventory
SAMA CSF PR.AC-1 - Access control and authentication
SAMA CSF PR.PT-1 - Security awareness and training
SAMA CSF DE.CM-1 - Detection and monitoring
SAMA CSF RS.MI-1 - Incident response and mitigation
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.1 - Policies for information security
ISO 27001:2022 A.6.1 - Organization of information security
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.1 - Asset management
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.6 - Management of technical vulnerabilities
ISO 27001:2022 A.14.2 - Development security
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0.1
PCI DSS 6.2 - Security patches and updates
PCI DSS 6.5.1 - Injection flaws prevention
PCI DSS 11.2 - Vulnerability scanning and assessment
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
microsoft:github_copilot