Workspace Trust is a Visual Studio Code security control that treats an opened folder as untrusted until the user or administrator approves it. In an untrusted workspace, VS Code restricts risky behaviors such as running tasks, debugging, and some extension features that could execute code or read sensitive files.
This matters because many attacks target the developer workspace, not just the editor itself. A malicious project, cloned repository, or compromised extension can try to trigger commands, harvest secrets, or manipulate build steps when a folder opens. Workspace Trust reduces that attack surface by forcing deliberate trust decisions before active code paths are enabled. In defense, teams use it to slow down drive-by execution, limit exposure from unknown projects, and add a safety layer alongside extension allowlists, signed packages, and careful review of downloaded code.