VDB-159570 · CVE-2020-1540 · GCVE-0-2020-1540

Microsoft Windows up to RT 8.1 Backup Engine 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.
7.4	$5k-$25k	0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability described as critical has been identified in Microsoft Windows up to RT 8.1. This issue affects some unknown processing of the component Backup Engine. The manipulation results in privileges management. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2020-1540. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. No exploit is available. A patch should be applied to remediate this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Microsoft Windows up to RT 8.1 (Operating System). Affected is an unknown code block of the component Backup Engine. 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 Backup Engine improperly handles memory. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to gain execution on the victim system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application to elevate privileges. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows Backup Engine handles memory.

The weakness was published 08/11/2020 as confirmed security update guide (Website). The advisory is available at portal.msrc.microsoft.com. The public release has been coordinated with the vendor. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2020-1540. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The requirement for exploitation is a authentication. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not available. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 02/24/2026). This vulnerability is assigned to T1068 by the MITRE ATT&CK project. The advisory points out:

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Backup Engine improperly handles memory.

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

Similar entries are available at VDB-159574, VDB-159573, VDB-159572 and VDB-159571. If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Productinfo

Type

Operating System

Vendor

Microsoft

Name

Windows

Version

License

commercial

Website

Vendor: https://www.microsoft.com/
Product: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.4
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.4

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: 7.8
CNA Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AV	AC	Au	C	I	A
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳
💳	💳	💳	💳	💳	💳

Vector	Complexity	Authentication	Confidentiality	Integrity	Availability
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

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-Day	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock
Today	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock	Unlock

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 🔍
02/24/2026 +2022 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: microsoft.com
Product: microsoft.com

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

CVE: CVE-2020-1540 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2020-1540
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-159570
scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161215
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 08/12/2020 08:09
Updated: 02/24/2026 01:39
Changes: 08/12/2020 08:09 (54), 08/12/2020 08:14 (17), 11/08/2020 08:35 (1), 02/24/2026 01:39 (29)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.