7.8
HIGH
CVE-2020-16940
Windows ProfSvc Junction Point Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Description

<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context.</p> <p>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 delete files or folders of their choosing.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles junction points.</p>

INFO

Published Date :

Oct. 16, 2020, 11:15 p.m.

Last Modified :

Dec. 31, 2023, 8:15 p.m.

Remotely Exploitable :

No

Impact Score :

5.9

Exploitability Score :

1.8
Affected Products

The following products are affected by CVE-2020-16940 vulnerability. Even if cvefeed.io is aware of the exact versions of the products that are affected, the information is not represented in the table below.

ID Vendor Product Action
1 Microsoft windows_10
2 Microsoft windows_7
3 Microsoft windows_8.1
4 Microsoft windows_rt_8.1
5 Microsoft windows_server_2008
6 Microsoft windows_server_2012
7 Microsoft windows_server_2016
8 Microsoft windows_server_2019
9 Microsoft windows_10_1607
10 Microsoft windows_10_1809
11 Microsoft windows_10_1507
12 Microsoft windows_10_1803
13 Microsoft windows_10_1909
14 Microsoft windows_server_1903
15 Microsoft windows_server_1909
16 Microsoft windows_server_2004
17 Microsoft windows_server_2012_r2
18 Microsoft windows_server_2008_r2
19 Microsoft windows_server_2008_sp2
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools

Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to CVE-2020-16940.

URL Resource
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16940 Patch Vendor Advisory
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1248/ Third Party Advisory

We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).

Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.

The following list is the news that have been mention CVE-2020-16940 vulnerability anywhere in the article.

The following table lists the changes that have been made to the CVE-2020-16940 vulnerability over time.

Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.

  • CVE Modified by [email protected]

    May. 14, 2024

    Action Type Old Value New Value
  • CVE Modified by [email protected]

    Dec. 31, 2023

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Changed Description An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points, aka 'Windows - User Profile Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. <p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context.</p> <p>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 delete files or folders of their choosing.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles junction points.</p>
    Added CVSS V3.1 Microsoft Corporation AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
  • Initial Analysis by [email protected]

    Oct. 21, 2020

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added CVSS V2 NIST (AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C)
    Added CVSS V3.1 NIST AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
    Changed Reference Type https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16940 No Types Assigned https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16940 Patch, Vendor Advisory
    Changed Reference Type https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1248/ No Types Assigned https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1248/ Third Party Advisory
    Added CWE NIST CWE-269
    Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1607:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1709:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1803:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1903:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:1909:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_7:-:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_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:r2:sp1:*:*:*:*:x64:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2012:r2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:1903:*:*:*:*:*:*:* *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_2019:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • CVE Modified by [email protected]

    Oct. 19, 2020

    Action Type Old Value New Value
    Added Reference https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1248/ [No Types Assigned]
EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days. Following chart shows the EPSS score history of the vulnerability.
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration

While CVE identifies specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2020-16940 is associated with the following CWEs:

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2020-16940 weaknesses.

Exploit Prediction

EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days.

0.07 }} 0.02%

score

0.30219

percentile

CVSS31 - Vulnerability Scoring System
Attack Vector
Attack Complexity
Privileges Required
User Interaction
Scope
Confidentiality
Integrity
Availability