Microsoft Windows up to Server 2019 Network Connections Service memory corruption

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Microsoft Windows and classified as problematic. Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality of the component Network Connections Service. Such manipulation leads to memory corruption. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2020-16887. An attack has to be approached locally. There is no exploit available. It is best practice to apply a patch to resolve this issue.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as problematic, has been found in Microsoft Windows (Operating System). Affected by this issue is an unknown code of the component Network Connections Service. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a memory corruption vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-119. The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it can read from or write to a memory location that is outside of the intended boundary of the buffer. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way that the Windows Network Connections Service handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could execute code with elevated permissions.</p> <p>To exploit the vulnerability, a locally authenticated attacker could run a specially crafted application.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by ensuring the Windows Network Connections Service properly handles objects in memory.</p>

The weakness was shared 10/13/2020 as confirmed security guidance (Website). The advisory is available at portal.msrc.microsoft.com. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2020-16887. The exploitation is known to be easy. Local access is required to approach this attack. The technical details are unknown and an exploit is not available. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 02/24/2026). The advisory points out:

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way that the Windows Network Connections Service handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could execute code with elevated permissions. To exploit the vulnerability, a locally authenticated attacker could run a specially crafted application. The security update addresses the vulnerability by ensuring the Windows Network Connections Service properly handles objects in memory.

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

• 7 SP1
• 8.1
• 10
• 10 1607
• 10 1709
• 10 1803
• 10 1809
• 10 1903
• 10 1909
• 10 2004
• RT 8.1
• Server 1903
• Server 1909
• Server 2004
• Server 2008 R2 SP1
• Server 2008 SP2
• Server 2012
• Server 2012 R2
• Server 2016
• Server 2019

License

• commercial

Website

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

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