# CVE-2020-0683: Microsoft Windows Installer Privilege Escalation

> Attackers can exploit symbolic link handling in Windows Installer to gain elevated privileges on affected Windows systems.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 Feb 2020
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h9c6-h3q2-gq6x

## What is CVE-2020-0683?

CVE-2020-0683 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507, published on 11 Feb 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the Windows Installer when MSI packages process symbolic links, aka 'Windows Installer Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2020-0686.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-0683?

It affects 17 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 10 1507, Microsoft Windows 10 1607, Microsoft Windows 10 1709, Microsoft Windows 10 1803, Microsoft Windows 10 1809, Microsoft Windows 10 1903, Microsoft Windows 10 1909, Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft Windows 8.1, Microsoft Windows Rt 8.1, Microsoft Windows Server 1803, Microsoft Windows Server 1903, Microsoft Windows Server 1909, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Server 2012, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-0683?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-0683 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2020-0683 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-0683 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Public exploit code:

- CVE-2020-0683 - Windows MSI “Installer service” Elevation of Privilege (github_poc): https://github.com/padovah4ck/CVE-2020-0683
- MSI Packages Symbolic Links Processing - Windows 10 Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 10 1507

- [CVE-2017-8543](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8543/): Microsoft Windows Search Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-33053](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-33053/): Microsoft Windows External Control of File Name or Path (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-33073](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-33073/): Microsoft Windows SMB Client Improper Access Control (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-49039](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-49039/): Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-43461](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-43461/): Microsoft Windows MSHTML Platform Spoofing (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-0683 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-0683 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507, published on 11 Feb 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-0683 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 10 1507. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-0683/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-0683/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-0683
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-0683
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-0683

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-0683/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.