关于Visual Studio Code请求信任父文件夹而非工作文件夹的疑问及安全顾虑

Great questions! Let’s break down both of these based on how VS Code’s workspace trust system works, especially with your .NET project structure (c:\solution holding the .sln file, and c:\solution\project containing the .csproj):

1. Why does VS Code ask to trust parent folders (or even c:\ root) instead of just my current working folder? #

This comes down to how VS Code evaluates project context and its hierarchical trust design:

• When you launch VS Code from c:\solution, it immediately scans for project/solution files (like your .sln) and maps the full scope of your project. Since your .csproj lives in a subdirectory, VS Code recognizes it’s part of the same solution ecosystem—but some .NET extensions or VS Code’s own scanning logic may cast a wider net, checking for implicit dependencies or cross-directory references that might be defined in the solution file.
• VS Code’s trust system is hierarchical: Trusting a parent folder automatically trusts all its subdirectories. If VS Code detects that your working folder’s functionality relies on files or configs in a parent directory (even if you don’t see it explicitly), it may request trust for that parent to ensure full project functionality. In rare cases where the solution has unusual path references, this can even escalate to asking about the c:\ root—though that’s usually a sign of overly broad scanning from an extension or a non-standard project setup.

2. If I trust my current (safe) files now, will untrusted code I check out later be automatically trusted? #

No, not exactly—here’s the breakdown:

• If you’ve trusted c:\solution, any new code you check out into that directory or its subdirectories will be part of the already trusted workspace, so it will be allowed to run. But if you check out code into a new, untrusted directory (say, c:\random-untrusted-project), VS Code will prompt you to confirm trust for that specific folder before enabling any code-executing features (like debugging or running scripts via extensions).
• To stay safe, consider these steps:
  • Avoid trusting broad paths like c:\ root—stick to specific project folders you know are safe.
  • Tweak VS Code’s security settings by searching for security.workspace.trust in the settings menu to adjust how strictly it enforces trust checks.
  • For new code, always review it in VS Code’s untrusted mode first (it will restrict risky actions) before deciding to trust the folder.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者Wouter