Microsoft Windows up to Server 2019 AppX Deployment Extension privileges management

CVSS Meta Temp Score
CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.
Current Exploit Price (≈)
Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.
CTI Interest Score
Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
7.1$5k-$25k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows. It has been declared as critical. This impacts an unknown function of the component AppX Deployment Extension. The manipulation results in privileges management. This vulnerability is cataloged as CVE-2020-1488. The attack may be launched remotely. There is no exploit available. It is advisable to implement a patch to correct this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Microsoft Windows (Operating System). Affected is some unknown processing of the component AppX Deployment Extension. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a privileges management vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-269. The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows AppX Deployment Extensions improperly performs privilege management, resulting in access to system files. To exploit this vulnerability, an authenticated attacker would need to run a specially crafted application to elevate privileges. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how AppX Deployment Extensions manages privileges.

The weakness was shared 08/11/2020 as confirmed security update guide (Website). The advisory is shared for download at portal.msrc.microsoft.com. The vendor cooperated in the coordination of the public release. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2020-1488. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. Required for exploitation is a authentication. There are neither technical details nor an exploit publicly available. The current price for an exploit might be approx. USD $5k-$25k (estimation calculated on 02/23/2026). The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1068. The advisory points out:

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows AppX Deployment Extensions improperly performs privilege management, resulting in access to system files.

Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. A possible mitigation has been published immediately after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The entries VDB-159568, VDB-159567, VDB-159566 and VDB-159563 are related to this item. Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.2
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.1

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 6.0
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

Vendor Base Score (Microsoft): 7.8
Vendor Vector (Microsoft): 🔍

NVD Base Score: 7.8
NVD Vector: 🔍

CNA Base Score: 7.0
CNA Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Privileges management
CWE: CWE-269 / CWE-266
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Status: Not defined

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

0-DayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
TodayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Patch
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

11/04/2019 🔍
08/11/2020 +281 days 🔍
08/11/2020 +0 days 🔍
08/12/2020 +1 days 🔍
02/23/2026 +2021 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com
Product: microsoft.com

Advisory: portal.msrc.microsoft.com
Status: Confirmed
Coordinated: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2020-1488 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2020-1488
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-159564
scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161215
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 08/12/2020 07:48
Updated: 02/23/2026 22:23
Changes: 08/12/2020 07:48 (54), 08/12/2020 07:53 (17), 11/08/2020 08:01 (1), 02/23/2026 22:23 (28)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Discussion

No comments yet. Languages: en.

Please log in to comment.

◂ PreviousOverviewNext ▸

Want to stay up to date on a daily basis?

Enable the mail alert feature now!