CVE-2020-1163

Local arbitrary file deletion after logon

Published Jun 9, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Elevation of privilege in Microsoft antimalware products allows local users to delete arbitrary files after logging on to an affected system. Microsoft has not published the vulnerable code locus or the incorrect operation that permits deletion of attacker-selected files. Successful exploitation requires a low-privileged local logon; the resulting deletion can remove protected system data but does not itself establish arbitrary code execution.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.89%
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 antimalware products allows local users to delete arbitrary files after logging on to an affected system. Microsoft has not published the vulnerable code locus or the incorrect operation that permits deletion of attacker-selected files. Successful exploitation requires a low-privileged local logon; the resulting deletion can remove protected system data but does not itself establish arbitrary code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-1163
Published
Jun 9, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection
Classifications
T1485
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 9, 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=2010

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protectionversion=2010
Microsoft · Microsoft System Centerversion=2012 Endpoint Protection; version=2012 R2 Endpoint Protection; version=Endpoint Protection
Microsoft · Microsoft Security Essentialsversion=unspecified
Microsoft · Windows Defenderversion=Service Pack 1; version=Service Pack 2; version=unspecified

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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 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

T1485Data Destruction

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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