CVE-2020-1048: Windows Print Spooler 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-May
Released: 2020-05-12
EPSS Score: 74.49% (percentile: 98.8%)

Description

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly allows arbitrary writing to the file system. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with elevated system privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would have to log on to an affected system and run a specially crafted script or application. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows Print Spooler Component writes to the file system.

Known Exploits (5)

Microsoft Windows Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres — added 2025-06-23T13:24:38Z
Microsoft Windows Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres — added 2023-06-30T11:36:10Z
Microsoft Windows Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres — added 2020-09-21T01:59:38Z
Microsoft Windows Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres — added 2020-08-11T14:34:07Z
Microsoft Windows Incorrect Resource Transfer Between Spheres — added 2020-06-23T18:45:24Z

Detection & Weaponization (3 sources)

Maturity: Detection

Metasploit modules: Microsoft Spooler Local Privilege Elevation Vulnerability
Sigma rules: Suspicious PrinterPorts Creation (CVE-2020-1048), CVE-2020-1048 Exploitation Attempt - Suspicious New Printer Ports - Registry
GitHub PoC: 5 repositories

Affected Products (41)

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 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)
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)

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

Peleg Hadar (<a href="https://twitter.com/peleghd">@peleghd</a>) and Tomer Bar of SafeBreach Labs

Revision History

2020-05-12: Information published.