Local privilege escalation via mishandled file operations
Published May 21, 2020 · Updated Aug 19, 2026
Elevation of privilege in Microsoft Windows Storage Service allows local users with code execution to gain elevated privileges. The service improperly handles file operations from a specially crafted application; Microsoft has not disclosed the affected path or validation failure. Exploitation requires prior local code execution on an affected Windows host and grants elevated access affecting stored data and system operation.
Summary
What happened
Elevation of privilege in Microsoft Windows Storage Service allows local users with code execution to gain elevated privileges. The service improperly handles file operations from a specially crafted application; Microsoft has not disclosed the affected path or validation failure. Exploitation requires prior local code execution on an affected Windows host and grants elevated access affecting stored data and system operation.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2020-1138
- Published
- May 21, 2020
- Updated
- Aug 19, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Windows Server 2019
- Classifications
- 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
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=10.0.17763.0 <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
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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