Microsoft Windows up to Server 2019 Error Reporting Manager access control

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows up to Server 2019 and classified as critical. This impacts an unknown function of the component Error Reporting Manager. The manipulation results in access control. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2020-16895. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. No exploit is available. Applying a patch is advised to resolve this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows up to Server 2019 (Operating System). It has been classified as critical. Affected is an unknown code of the component Error Reporting Manager. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a access control vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-284. The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Windows Error Reporting manager improperly handles a process crash. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete a targeted file leading to an elevated status.</p> <p>To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take control of an affected system.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Windows Error Reporting manager handles process crashes.</p>

The weakness was published 10/13/2020 as confirmed security guidance (Website). The advisory is shared for download at portal.msrc.microsoft.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2020-16895. The exploitability is told to be easy. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. 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 02/24/2026). The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1068. The advisory points out:

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Windows Error Reporting manager improperly handles a process crash. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete a targeted file leading to an elevated status. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take control of an affected system. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Windows Error Reporting manager handles process crashes.

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.

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Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Microsoft

Name

• Windows

Version

• 10 1803
• 10 1809
• 10 1903
• 10 1909
• 10 2004
• Server 1903
• Server 1909
• Server 2004
• Server 2019

License

• commercial

Website

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

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