CVE-2020-16890 Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

High 7.8 Published 16 Oct 2020 Updated 4 Aug 2024

An attacker with local access can execute arbitrary code in kernel mode to gain full system control via a memory handling flaw.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Any signed-in user
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: None listed

What is CVE-2020-16890?

CVE-2020-16890 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10, published on 16 Oct 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 when the Windows kernel 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 to take control of an affected system. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows kernel handles objects in memory.

Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-16890?

It affects 3 products.

Products include Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019.

How do I fix CVE-2020-16890?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-16890 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

Is CVE-2020-16890 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-16890 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Microsoft Windows 10 vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as GHSA-m2cc-qv47-86r8.