CVE-2020-16939: Vulnerability Analysis & Exploit Details

Status: Modified - Last modified: 31-12-2023 Published: 16-10-2020

CVE-2020-16939
Vulnerability Scoring

7.8
/10

Attack Complexity Details

  • Attack Complexity: Low Impact
  • Attack Vector: LOCAL
  • Privileges Required: Low Impact
  • Scope: UNCHANGED
  • User Interaction: NONE

CIA Impact Definition

  • Confidentiality: HIGH IMPACT
  • Integrity: HIGH IMPACT
  • Availability: HIGH IMPACT

CVE-2020-16939 Vulnerability Summary

<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Group Policy improperly checks access. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run processes in an elevated context.</p> <p>To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system, and then run a specially crafted application to take control over the affected system.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Group Policy checks access.</p>

Access Complexity Graph for CVE-2020-16939

Impact Analysis for CVE-2020-16939

CVE-2020-16939: Detailed Information and External References

EPSS

0.00089

EPSS %

0.40031

References

0.00089

CWE

CWE-59

CAPEC

0.00089

  • Symlink Attack: An adversary positions a symbolic link in such a manner that the targeted user or application accesses the link's endpoint, assuming that it is accessing a file with the link's name.
  • Using Malicious Files: An attack of this type exploits a system's configuration that allows an adversary to either directly access an executable file, for example through shell access; or in a possible worst case allows an adversary to upload a file and then execute it. Web servers, ftp servers, and message oriented middleware systems which have many integration points are particularly vulnerable, because both the programmers and the administrators must be in synch regarding the interfaces and the correct privileges for each interface.
  • Leverage Executable Code in Non-Executable Files: An attack of this type exploits a system's trust in configuration and resource files. When the executable loads the resource (such as an image file or configuration file) the attacker has modified the file to either execute malicious code directly or manipulate the target process (e.g. application server) to execute based on the malicious configuration parameters. Since systems are increasingly interrelated mashing up resources from local and remote sources the possibility of this attack occurring is high.
  • Manipulating Web Input to File System Calls: An attacker manipulates inputs to the target software which the target software passes to file system calls in the OS. The goal is to gain access to, and perhaps modify, areas of the file system that the target software did not intend to be accessible.

Vulnerable Configurations

  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1607:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1607:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1709:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1709:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1803:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1803:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1903:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1903:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1909:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1909:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_7:-:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_7:-:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_8.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_8.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_rt_8.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_rt_8.1:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:-:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:-:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:r2:sp1:*:*:*:*:x64:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2008:r2:sp1:*:*:*:*:x64:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:r2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:r2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:1903:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:1903:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:1909:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:1909:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2019:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
    cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2019:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

CVSS3 Source

secure@microsoft.com

CVSS3 Type

Primary

CVSS3 Vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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