CVE-2020-1544 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Learn about CVE-2020-1544, an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Backup Engine. Find out the impacts, affected systems, exploitation mechanism, and mitigation steps.
Windows Backup Engine Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability was published on August 17, 2020, by Microsoft.
Understanding CVE-2020-1544
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Backup Engine can allow attackers to elevate their privileges on the target system.
What is CVE-2020-1544?
This vulnerability arises from the improper handling of memory within the Windows Backup Engine, enabling attackers to execute specially crafted applications to escalate their privileges.
The Impact of CVE-2020-1544
- Type: Elevation of Privilege
- Severity: High
- CVSS Base Score: 7.8
- Vector String: 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-2020-1544
The following details provide a deeper understanding of this vulnerability:
Vulnerability Description
An attacker can exploit this flaw by running a malicious application on the victim's system, leading to privilege escalation due to the mishandling of memory by the Windows Backup Engine.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 2004
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1803
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1809
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1909
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1709
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607
- Microsoft Windows 7
- Microsoft Windows 7 Service Pack 1
- Microsoft Windows 8.1
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit memory mishandling, gaining initial execution on the system, and running a malicious application to escalate privileges.
Mitigation and Prevention
Protect your system from CVE-2020-1544 with the following steps:
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply the security update provided by Microsoft.
- Monitor for any unusual system behavior that might indicate an attack.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update your operating system and software.
- Implement principle of least privilege to limit user access.
Patching and Updates
Microsoft has addressed this vulnerability with a security update that corrects how the Windows Backup Engine handles memory.