CVE-2020-0648 : Security Advisory and Response

Windows RSoP Service Application Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability discovered in September 2020.

Understanding CVE-2020-0648

A vulnerability in the Windows RSoP Service Application that allows elevation of privilege attacks.

What is CVE-2020-0648?

An elevation of privilege flaw due to improper memory handling in the Windows RSoP Service Application.
Attackers can exploit this issue after gaining execution on the target system to elevate privileges.
Microsoft addressed this vulnerability by rectifying how the Windows RSoP Service Application manages memory.

The Impact of CVE-2020-0648

Impact Type: Elevation of Privilege
CVSS Severity: High
CVSS Score: 7.8 (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C)

Technical Details of CVE-2020-0648

Vulnerability Description

Occurs due to the improper handling of memory by the Windows RSoP Service Application.

Affected Systems and Versions

Various Microsoft Windows versions including Windows 7, 8.1, and Server 2019 are impacted.
Notable affected products include Windows 10 versions 1803, 1809, and Server 2016.
Multiple platforms such as x64-based Systems and ARM64-based Systems are vulnerable.
Versions 6.0.0 to 10.0.0 are affected.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers exploit the vulnerability by executing a specially crafted application to elevate privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the security update provided by Microsoft to patch the vulnerability.
Monitor systems for any suspicious activities indicating potential exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update systems with the latest patches and security updates.
Implement strong access controls and least privilege principles to limit potential attacks.

Patching and Updates

Ensure all affected systems are updated with the latest security patches to mitigate the risk of exploitation.