CVE-2020-0635: Windows Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Overview

Severity

High (CVSS 7.8)

CVSS Vector

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C

Category

Elevation of Privilege

Exploit Status

Not Exploited

Exploitation Likelihood

Less Likely

Patch Tuesday

2020-Jan

Released

2020-01-14

Last Updated

2020-01-16

EPSS Score

0.36% (percentile: 58.6%)

Description

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Microsoft Windows when Windows fails to properly handle certain symbolic links. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could potentially set certain items to run at a higher level and thereby elevate permissions. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take control of an affected system. The update addresses this vulnerability by correcting how the Windows handles symbolic links.

Affected Products (43)

Windows

• Windows 10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems
• Windows Server, version 1803 (Server Core Installation)
• Windows 10 Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows Server 2019
• Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)
• Windows 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1903 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1903 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation)
• Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems
• Windows Server 2016
• Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
• Windows 8.1 for 32-bit systems
• Windows 8.1 for x64-based systems
• Windows RT 8.1
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows Server 2012 (Server Core installation)
• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows Server 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)
• Windows 10 Version 1909 for 32-bit Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1909 for x64-based Systems
• Windows 10 Version 1909 for ARM64-based Systems
• Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation)

ESU

• Windows 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1
• Windows 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
• Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
• Windows Server 2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
• Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 2
• Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
• Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
• Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1
• Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
• Windows Server 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)

Security Updates (14)

• 4534293
• 4534273
• 4534276
• 4528760
• 4534306
• 4534271
• 4534310
• 4534314
• 4534297
• 4534309
• 4534303
• 4534312
• 4534283
• 4534288

Acknowledgments

Jarvis_1oop of Pinduoduo Security Research Lab, Zhiniang Peng (<a href="https://twitter.com/edwardzpeng">@edwardzpeng</a>) of Qihoo 360 Core Security and Jiadong Lu, <a href="https://twitter.com/EranShimony">Eran Shimony</a> of <a href="https://www.cyberark.com/">CyberArk</a> , Jimmy Bayne (<a href="https://twitter.com/bohops">@bohops</a>), Glenn Lloyd working with <a href="https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/">Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative</a>

Revision History

• 2020-01-14: Information published.
• 2020-01-16: Added acknowledgements. This is an informational change only.