CVE-2020-0854

Privilege elevation via improper junction handling

Published Mar 12, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Elevation of privilege in Microsoft Windows MDM Diagnostics allows local users to gain higher privileges by abusing junction handling. Microsoft has not disclosed the affected function or exact file operation; the published mechanism is improper handling of filesystem junctions. A local low-privilege account is required; successful exploitation can alter protected data and disrupt the system, with no reported confidentiality impact.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.75%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Elevation of privilege in Microsoft Windows MDM Diagnostics allows local users to gain higher privileges by abusing junction handling. Microsoft has not disclosed the affected function or exact file operation; the published mechanism is improper handling of filesystem junctions. A local low-privilege account is required; successful exploitation can alter protected data and disrupt the system, with no reported confidentiality impact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-0854
Published
Mar 12, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Windows 10 Version 1909
Classifications
T1068
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

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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 vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1909version=unspecified
Microsoft · Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation)version=unspecified
Microsoft · Windowsversion=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=2019; version=2019 (Core installation)
Microsoft · Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation)version=unspecified
Microsoft · Windows 10 Version 1903version=unspecified

Published CVSS scores

3.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P
7.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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