CVE-2020-0684: LNK Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Overview

Severity
High (CVSS 8.8)
CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C
Category
Remote Code Execution
Exploit Status
Not Exploited
Exploitation Likelihood
Less Likely
Patch Tuesday
2020-Mar
Released
2020-03-10
EPSS Score
38.56% (percentile: 97.2%)

Description

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Windows that could allow remote code execution if a .LNK file is processed. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. The attacker could present to the user a removable drive, or remote share, that contains a malicious .LNK file and an associated malicious binary. When the user opens this drive(or remote share) in Windows Explorer, or any other application that parses the .LNK file, the malicious binary will execute code of the attacker’s choice, on the target system. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the processing of shortcut LNK references.

Affected Products (40)

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 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 x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
  • Windows Server 2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
  • 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)

Acknowledgments

Wayne Low of Fortinet’s <a href=https://fortiguard.com/>FortiGuard Labs</a>

Revision History

  • 2020-03-10: Information published.