CVE-2020-0664 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
<p>An information disclosure vulnerability exists when Active Directory integrated DNS (ADIDNS) mishandles objects in memory. An authenticated attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability would be able to read sensitive information about the target system.</p> <p>To exploit this condition, an authenticated attacker would need to send a specially crafted request to the AD|DNS service. Note that the information disclosure vulnerability by itself would not be sufficient for an attacker to compromise a system. However, an attacker could combine this vulnerability with additional vulnerabilities to further exploit the system.</p> <p>The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Active Directory integrated DNS (ADIDNS) handles objects in memory.</p>
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-0664 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within Active Directory integrated DNS (ADIDNS) systems, specifically concerning how the service manages objects in memory. This weakness falls under the broader category of information exposure vulnerabilities and aligns with CWE-200, which catalogs weaknesses related to information exposure. The flaw manifests when ADIDNS processes certain objects in memory without proper validation or sanitization, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive system information. Active Directory integrated DNS serves as a crucial component in enterprise network infrastructure, providing DNS services that are deeply integrated with Active Directory domain services, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for organizations relying on Microsoft Windows domain environments.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires an authenticated attacker who can successfully send specially crafted requests to the AD|DNS service. This authentication requirement places the vulnerability in the context of privilege escalation attacks where an attacker has already gained access to a valid user account within the domain. The attack vector involves sending malformed or specially constructed requests that trigger the memory handling flaw, potentially exposing sensitive information about the target system. The information disclosed could include internal network structures, domain controller configurations, user account details, or other system metadata that would normally be protected from unauthorized access. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability would map to techniques involving credential access and reconnaissance, as it provides attackers with additional information that could be used in subsequent phases of an attack.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-0664 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates potential pathways for more sophisticated attacks when combined with other vulnerabilities. While the vulnerability alone cannot directly compromise systems, it serves as a valuable reconnaissance tool for attackers seeking to understand network topology and system configurations. Organizations running affected ADIDNS implementations face increased risk of targeted attacks where this information disclosure serves as a stepping stone for privilege escalation or lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability affects systems where Active Directory integrated DNS is enabled and configured, particularly those with domain controllers running Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, or Windows Server 2019. The memory handling flaw could potentially expose information that would otherwise remain hidden, including domain controller names, DNS zone information, and other internal system details that could be leveraged in advanced persistent threat campaigns.
Microsoft's official patch for CVE-2020-0664 addresses the core issue by implementing improved memory handling procedures within the ADIDNS service. The fix involves modifying how the service processes and validates objects in memory, ensuring that sensitive information is properly protected during processing operations. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches in enterprise environments, particularly for core infrastructure services like Active Directory. The vulnerability highlights the need for comprehensive security monitoring and detection capabilities that can identify unusual network requests or memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities, as well as conduct regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in their Active Directory environments. The fix demonstrates Microsoft's approach to addressing memory-related security issues through improved input validation and object handling procedures, aligning with industry best practices for secure coding and defensive programming techniques.