Microsoft Windows up to Server 2019 Error Reporting access control

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Microsoft Windows. This affects an unknown part of the component Error Reporting. The manipulation leads to access control. This vulnerability is listed as CVE-2020-16909. The attack may be initiated remotely. There is no available exploit. It is suggested to install a patch to address this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows (Operating System). It has been rated as critical. This issue affects an unknown code of the component Error Reporting. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a access control vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-284. The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The summary by CVE is:

<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows Error Reporting (WER) when WER handles and executes files. The vulnerability could allow elevation of privilege if an attacker can successfully exploit it.</p> <p>An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could gain greater access to sensitive information and system functionality. To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker could run a specially crafted application.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the way that WER handles and executes files.</p>

The weakness was presented 10/13/2020 as confirmed security guidance (Website). The advisory is shared at portal.msrc.microsoft.com. The identification of this vulnerability is CVE-2020-16909. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be initiated remotely. Neither technical details nor an exploit are publicly available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $5k-$25k at the moment (estimation calculated on 02/24/2026). MITRE ATT&CK project uses the attack technique T1068 for this issue. The advisory points out:

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows Error Reporting (WER) when WER handles and executes files. The vulnerability could allow elevation of privilege if an attacker can successfully exploit it. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could gain greater access to sensitive information and system functionality. To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker could run a specially crafted application. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the way that WER handles and executes files.

It is declared as proof-of-concept.

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

Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Microsoft

Name

• Windows

Version

• 10
• 10 1607
• 10 1709
• 10 1803
• 10 1809
• 10 1903
• 10 1909
• 10 2004
• Server 1903
• Server 1909
• Server 2004
• Server 2016
• Server 2019

License

• commercial

Website

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

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Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.

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