CVE-2020-0601Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vector

Certificate spoofing via unchecked ECC generator parameter

Published Jan 14, 2020 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

Certificate spoofing in Windows CryptoAPI allows remote attackers to impersonate trusted code or TLS endpoints with crafted ECC certificates. Crypt32.dll matches a trusted certificate authority's public key but fails to validate the certificate-supplied elliptic-curve generator before verifying the chain. Exploitation requires the crafted certificate to reach a Windows trust decision, allowing code or a network endpoint to appear authenticated without the trusted issuer's private key.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability89.44%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Certificate spoofing in Windows CryptoAPI allows remote attackers to impersonate trusted code or TLS endpoints with crafted ECC certificates. Crypt32.dll matches a trusted certificate authority's public key but fails to validate the certificate-supplied elliptic-curve generator before verifying the chain. Exploitation requires the crafted certificate to reach a Windows trust decision, allowing code or a network endpoint to appear authenticated without the trusted issuer's private key.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-0601
Published
Jan 14, 2020
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows 10 Version 1909
Classifications
CWE-295, T1553.002
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=unspecified

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1909version=unspecified
Microsoft · Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation)version=unspecified
Microsoft · Windowsversion=10 for 32-bit Systems; version=10 for x64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems; version=10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems; version=10 Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems; version=10 Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems; version=10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems; version=10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
Microsoft · Windows Serverversion=2016; version=2016 (Core installation); version=2019; version=2019 (Core installation); version=version 1803 (Core Installation)
Microsoft · Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation)version=unspecified
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1903version=unspecified

Published CVSS scores

8.1CVE ProgramCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-295Improper Certificate Validation
T1553.002Subvert Trust Controls: Code Signing

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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