CVE-2020-0786

System hang via mishandled hard links

Published Mar 12, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Denial of service in Microsoft Windows Tile Object Service allows local users to stop an affected system through crafted hard links. The service improperly processes attacker-created hard links, allowing a crafted application to redirect its file operations and overwrite protected system files. Exploitation requires an authenticated local session and can leave the operating system unresponsive.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.82%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in Microsoft Windows Tile Object Service allows local users to stop an affected system through crafted hard links. The service improperly processes attacker-created hard links, allowing a crafted application to redirect its file operations and overwrite protected system files. Exploitation requires an authenticated local session and can leave the operating system unresponsive.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-0786
Published
Mar 12, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 12, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=10 for 32-bit Systems
  2. Affected versionversion=10 for x64-based Systems
  3. Affected versionversion=10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
  4. Affected versionversion=10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

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
Microsoft · Windows Serverversion=2016; version=2016 (Core installation)

Published CVSS scores

7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
5.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:C

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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