Zed IDE LSP Configuration Arbitrary Code Execution
Mindgard AI identified a vulnerability in Zed IDE where malicious Language Server Protocol configurations in a project's settings file could execute arbitrary shell commands with user privileges. The issue was disclosed to Zed Industries on November 16, 2025, and resolved through coordinated remediation.
What happened
The Zed IDE loads Language Server Protocol (LSP) configurations from the settings.json file located within a project's .zed subdirectory. A malicious LSP configuration can contain arbitrary shell commands that run on the host system with the privileges of the user running the IDE.
The vulnerability is triggered when a user opens a project file for which there is an LSP entry.
Reported impact
Users are exposed to arbitrary code execution when loading or interacting with a maliciously crafted source code repository.
Index analysis
The vulnerability exists because LSP settings, which live inside the workspace, determine how language servers are launched and what commands they run on startup, without adequate trust boundary protection.
Governance controls
Mindgard reported the flaws to the Zed team and assisted in validating their mitigations, resulting in a new release of the software and a coordinated disclosure from both parties.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.