# CVE-2020-1574: Microsoft Windows Codecs Library Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening a specially crafted image file processed by the Windows Codecs Library.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N/E:P/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Aug 2020
- **Updated:** 29 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pj97-g38f-3qg4

## What is CVE-2020-1574?

CVE-2020-1574 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10, published on 17 Aug 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that Microsoft Windows Codecs Library handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could execute arbitrary code.
Exploitation of the vulnerability requires that a program process a specially crafted image file.
The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Windows Codecs Library handles objects in memory.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-1574?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Windows 10.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-1574?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-1574 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-1574 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-1574 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 10

- [CVE-2015-2426](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2426/): Microsoft Windows Adobe Type Manager Library Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-1769](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1769/): Microsoft Windows Mount Manager Privilege Escalation (medium 6.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-1467](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1467/): Windows Hard Link Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2021-26424](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26424/): Windows TCP/IP Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2021-28476](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28476/): Windows Hyper-V Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (critical 9.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-1574 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-1574 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10, published on 17 Aug 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-1574 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 10. 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-2020-1574/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1574/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-1574
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1574
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1574

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1574/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.