Privilege escalation via printer-driver path validation
Published May 21, 2020 · Updated Aug 19, 2026
Improper path validation in Microsoft Windows Printer Service allows local users to execute code with elevated system privileges. While loading printer drivers, the service accepts a crafted file path without correctly validating it, enabling attacker-controlled code to load in a privileged service context. Exploitation requires an authenticated local session and a specially crafted application; Microsoft has not identified the affected function or path syntax publicly.
Summary
What happened
Improper path validation in Microsoft Windows Printer Service allows local users to execute code with elevated system privileges. While loading printer drivers, the service accepts a crafted file path without correctly validating it, enabling attacker-controlled code to load in a privileged service context. Exploitation requires an authenticated local session and a specially crafted application; Microsoft has not identified the affected function or path syntax publicly.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2020-1081
- Published
- May 21, 2020
- Updated
- Aug 19, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows 10 Version 1507
- Classifications
- CWE-20, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 21, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 19, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=10.0.10240.0 <publication
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo