# CVE-2020-1054: Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation

> An attacker with local access can exploit a memory handling flaw in the Windows kernel driver to execute arbitrary code and gain full system privileges.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **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:** 21 May 2020
- **Updated:** 7 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5qfv-hvxp-fg32

## What is CVE-2020-1054?

CVE-2020-1054 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507, published on 21 May 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 Windows when the Windows kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.
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 update addresses this vulnerability by correcting how the Windows kernel-mode driver handles objects in memory.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-1054?

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-2020-1054?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-1054 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2020-1054 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-1054 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Public exploit code:

- LPE for CVE-2020-1054 targeting Windows 7 x64 (github_poc): https://github.com/0xeb-bp/cve-2020-1054
- https://github.com/KaLendsi/CVE-2020-1054 (github_poc): https://github.com/KaLendsi/CVE-2020-1054
- https://github.com/Iamgublin/CVE-2020-1054 (github_poc): https://github.com/Iamgublin/CVE-2020-1054
- Microsoft Windows DrawIconEx OOB Write Local Privilege Elevation (metasploit)
- Windows 7 LPE (github_poc): https://github.com/Graham382/CVE-2020-1054

## 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-2020-1054 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-1054 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507, published on 21 May 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-2020-1054 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-2020-1054/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1054/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-1054
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1054
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1054

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1054/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.