diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index 53f37932b4..b220bf2d95 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ class ExtensionManager implements vscode.Disposable {
                                              await scanForKitsIfNeeded(cmt);
 
     let should_configure = cmt.workspaceContext.config.configureOnOpen;
-    if (should_configure === null && process.env['CMT_TESTING'] !== '1') {
+    if (should_configure === null && util.envGetValue(process.env, 'CMT_TESTING') !== '1') {
       interface Choice1 {
         title: string;
         doConfigure: boolean;
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ class ExtensionManager implements vscode.Disposable {
    * Show UI to allow the user to select an active kit
    */
   async selectKit(folder?: vscode.WorkspaceFolder): Promise<boolean> {
-    if (process.env['CMT_TESTING'] === '1') {
+    if (util.envGetValue(process.env, 'CMT_TESTING') === '1') {
       log.trace(localize('selecting.kit.in.test.mode', 'Running CMakeTools in test mode. selectKit is disabled.'));
       return false;
     }
@@ -1326,7 +1326,7 @@ class ExtensionManager implements vscode.Disposable {
    * Show UI to allow the user to add an active configure preset
    */
   async addConfigurePreset(folder: vscode.WorkspaceFolder): Promise<boolean> {
-    if (process.env['CMT_TESTING'] === '1') {
+    if (util.envGetValue(process.env, 'CMT_TESTING') === '1') {
       log.trace(localize('add.config.preset.in.test.mode', 'Running CMakeTools in test mode. addConfigurePreset is disabled.'));
       return false;
     }
@@ -1343,7 +1343,7 @@ class ExtensionManager implements vscode.Disposable {
    * Show UI to allow the user to add an active build preset
    */
   async addBuildPreset(folder: vscode.WorkspaceFolder): Promise<boolean> {
-    if (process.env['CMT_TESTING'] === '1') {
+    if (util.envGetValue(process.env, 'CMT_TESTING') === '1') {
       log.trace(localize('add.build.preset.in.test.mode', 'Running CMakeTools in test mode. addBuildPreset is disabled.'));
       return false;
     }
@@ -1360,7 +1360,7 @@ class ExtensionManager implements vscode.Disposable {
    * Show UI to allow the user to add an active test preset
    */
   async addTestPreset(folder: vscode.WorkspaceFolder): Promise<boolean> {
-    if (process.env['CMT_TESTING'] === '1') {
+    if (util.envGetValue(process.env, 'CMT_TESTING') === '1') {
       log.trace(localize('add.test.preset.in.test.mode', 'Running CMakeTools in test mode. addTestPreset is disabled.'));
       return false;
     }
@@ -1378,7 +1378,7 @@ class ExtensionManager implements vscode.Disposable {
    * Show UI to allow the user to select an active configure preset
    */
   async selectConfigurePreset(folder?: vscode.WorkspaceFolder): Promise<boolean> {
-    if (process.env['CMT_TESTING'] === '1') {
+    if (util.envGetValue(process.env, 'CMT_TESTING') === '1') {
       log.trace(localize('selecting.config.preset.in.test.mode', 'Running CMakeTools in test mode. selectConfigurePreset is disabled.'));
       return false;
     }
@@ -1406,7 +1406,7 @@ class ExtensionManager implements vscode.Disposable {
    * Show UI to allow the user to select an active build preset
    */
   async selectBuildPreset(folder?: vscode.WorkspaceFolder): Promise<boolean> {
-    if (process.env['CMT_TESTING'] === '1') {
+    if (util.envGetValue(process.env, 'CMT_TESTING') === '1') {
       log.trace(localize('selecting.build.preset.in.test.mode', 'Running CMakeTools in test mode. selectBuildPreset is disabled.'));
       return false;
     }
@@ -1428,7 +1428,7 @@ class ExtensionManager implements vscode.Disposable {
    * Show UI to allow the user to select an active test preset
    */
   async selectTestPreset(folder?: vscode.WorkspaceFolder): Promise<boolean> {
-    if (process.env['CMT_TESTING'] === '1') {
+    if (util.envGetValue(process.env, 'CMT_TESTING') === '1') {
       log.trace(localize('selecting.test.preset.in.test.mode', 'Running CMakeTools in test mode. selectTestPreset is disabled.'));
       return false;
     }
diff --git a/src/installs/visual-studio.ts b/src/installs/visual-studio.ts
index c007a840b0..887cbe217c 100644
--- a/src/installs/visual-studio.ts
+++ b/src/installs/visual-studio.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import * as path from 'path';
 
 import * as logging from '../logging';
 import * as proc from '../proc';
-import {thisExtensionPath} from '../util';
+import {envGetValue, thisExtensionPath} from '../util';
 import * as nls from 'vscode-nls';
 
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export async function vsInstallations(): Promise<VSInstallation[]> {
   const installs = [] as VSInstallation[];
   const inst_ids = [] as string[];
   const vswhere_exe = path.join(thisExtensionPath(), 'res', 'vswhere.exe');
-  const sys32_path = path.join(process.env.WINDIR as string, 'System32');
+  const sys32_path = path.join(envGetValue(process.env, 'WINDIR') ?? 'C:\\Windows', 'System32');
 
   const vswhere_args =
       ['/c', `${sys32_path}\\chcp 65001>nul && "${vswhere_exe}" -all -format json -utf8 -products * -legacy -prerelease`];
diff --git a/src/logging.ts b/src/logging.ts
index 903dfc29a6..5ef42bd058 100644
--- a/src/logging.ts
+++ b/src/logging.ts
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ class SingletonLogger {
     case LogLevel.Debug:
     case LogLevel.Info:
     case LogLevel.Note:
-      if (process.env['CMT_QUIET_CONSOLE'] !== '1') {
+      if (util.envGetValue(process.env, 'CMT_QUIET_CONSOLE') !== '1') {
         // tslint:disable-next-line
         console.info('[CMakeTools]', raw_message);
       }
diff --git a/src/paths.ts b/src/paths.ts
index 2a2249f546..24bd145b6c 100644
--- a/src/paths.ts
+++ b/src/paths.ts
@@ -18,19 +18,19 @@ interface VSCMakePaths {
 
 class WindowsEnvironment {
   get AppData(): string | undefined {
-    return process.env['APPDATA'];
+    return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'APPDATA');
 }
 
   get LocalAppData(): string | undefined {
-    return process.env['LOCALAPPDATA'];
+    return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'LOCALAPPDATA');
   }
 
   get AllUserProfile(): string | undefined {
-    return process.env['ProgramData'];
+    return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'ProgramData');
   }
 
   get ComSpec(): string {
-    let comSpec = process.env['ComSpec'];
+    let comSpec = util.envGetValue(process.env, 'ComSpec');
 
     if (undefined === comSpec) {
       comSpec = this.SystemRoot! + '\\system32\\cmd.exe';
@@ -40,31 +40,31 @@ class WindowsEnvironment {
   }
 
   get HomeDrive(): string | undefined {
-    return process.env['HOMEDRIVE'];
+    return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'HOMEDRIVE');
   }
 
   get HomePath(): string | undefined {
-    return process.env['HOMEPATH'];
+    return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'HOMEPATH');
   }
 
   get ProgramFilesX86(): string | undefined {
-    return process.env['ProgramFiles(x86)'];
+    return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'ProgramFiles(x86)');
   }
 
   get ProgramFiles(): string | undefined {
-    return process.env['ProgramFiles'];
+    return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'ProgramFiles');
   }
 
   get SystemDrive(): string | undefined {
-    return process.env['SystemDrive'];
+    return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'SystemDrive');
   }
 
   get SystemRoot(): string | undefined {
-    return process.env['SystemRoot'];
+    return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'SystemRoot');
   }
 
   get Temp(): string | undefined {
-    return process.env['TEMP'];
+    return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'TEMP');
   }
 }
 
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ class Paths {
    */
   get userHome(): string {
     if (process.platform === 'win32') {
-      return path.join(process.env['HOMEDRIVE'] || 'C:', process.env['HOMEPATH'] || 'Users\\Public');
+      return path.join(util.envGetValue(process.env, 'HOMEDRIVE') ?? 'C:', util.envGetValue(process.env, 'HOMEPATH') ?? 'Users\\Public');
     } else {
-      return process.env['HOME'] || process.env['PROFILE']!;
+      return util.envGetValue(process.env, 'HOME') ?? util.envGetValue(process.env, 'PROFILE') ?? '/root';
     }
   }
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class Paths {
     if (process.platform == 'win32') {
       return this.windows.LocalAppData!;
     } else {
-      const xdg_dir = process.env['XDG_DATA_HOME'];
+      const xdg_dir = util.envGetValue(process.env, 'XDG_DATA_HOME');
       if (xdg_dir) {
         return xdg_dir;
       }
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class Paths {
     if (process.platform == 'win32') {
       return this.windows.AppData!;
     } else {
-      const xdg_dir = process.env['XDG_CONFIG_HOME'];
+      const xdg_dir = util.envGetValue(process.env, 'XDG_CONFIG_HOME');
       if (xdg_dir) {
         return xdg_dir;
       }