CVE-2020-0986: Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Recommended actionPatch now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2022-05-03 as the remediation due date.

Patch available

What, why and how

Microsoft Windows kernel contains an unspecified vulnerability when handling objects in memory that allows attackers to escalate privileges and execute code in kernel mode.

What

Microsoft Windows kernel contains an unspecified vulnerability when handling objects in memory that allows attackers to escalate privileges and execute code in kernel mode.

Why

A bounds error lets data be written beyond the intended memory region, potentially corrupting control data.

How

An attacker operating through local access may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.

What

Microsoft Windows kernel contains an unspecified vulnerability when handling objects in memory that allows attackers to escalate privileges and execute code in kernel mode.

Why

A bounds error lets data be written beyond the intended memory region, potentially corrupting control data.

How

An attacker operating through local access may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may execute code or commands in the affected security context.

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation

Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.

Confirmed in the wild

CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 2021-11-03.

Public PoC / exploit material

Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.

None recorded

No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.

Likely attack path: local access → Out-of-bounds Write → execute code or commands in the affected security context
Attack surface: Local
Privileges required: Low: a basic authenticated account is required
User interaction: None
Attack complexity: Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary: Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness ? CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.: CWE-787 ↗
CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write. The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.
CVSS vector ? CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
AVLocalAttack vector: The attacker needs local access to the vulnerable system.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRLowPrivileges required: The attacker needs basic user-level privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.
Post-exploitation / living off the land: After compromise, an attacker may use built-in shells, scripting engines, scheduled tasks and native network utilities for discovery, persistence or movement. This is a plausible LoTL path, not evidence that it has occurred for every attack.

Remote code executionCWE-787CISA KEV

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2020-2452Known-exploited evidence recorded

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows kernel fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka 'Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2020-1237, CVE-2020-1246, CVE-2020-1262, CVE-2020-1264, CVE-2020-1266, CVE-2020-1269, CVE-2020-1273, CVE-2020-1274, CVE-2020-1275, CVE-2020-1276, CVE-2020-1307, CVE-2020-1316.

Official EUVD record ↗

Cyber Security Agency of Singapore · English · CSA-SB-20200610Security Bulletin 10 Jun 2020

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore included this CVE in its official Security Bulletin 10 Jun 2020, published on 10 June 2020. Open the linked bulletin for the product, severity and reference information published in that issue.

Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Evidence used

Compensating controls

Verification

EUVD-2020-2452

What, why and how

Exploit reality and attack path

Official authority intelligence

Patch and workaround

Evidence and provenance