CVE-2020-16885 : What You Need to Know

Windows Storage VSP Driver Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability was published on October 13, 2020, by Microsoft. The vulnerability affects various versions of Windows operating systems.

Understanding CVE-2020-16885

What is CVE-2020-16885?

An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Storage VSP Driver allows attackers to gain elevated privileges by exploiting how the driver handles file operations.

The Impact of CVE-2020-16885

This vulnerability could be exploited by attackers with code execution on a victim system, enabling them to run a specially crafted application to elevate their privileges.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-16885

Vulnerability Description

The Windows Storage VSP Driver vulnerability arises from improper handling of file operations, leading to an elevation of privilege risk.

Affected Systems and Versions

Windows 10 Version 1803, 1809, 1709, 1607, 1903, 2004
Windows Server 2019, 2016, 1903, 2004
Platforms: x64-based Systems, ARM64-based Systems

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs code execution on the target system to run a specially crafted application.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the security update provided by Microsoft to address the vulnerability promptly.
Monitor for any unusual system behavior that could indicate exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update systems with the latest security patches and updates.
Implement least privilege access controls to limit the impact of potential privilege escalation attacks.
Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all affected systems are updated with the security patch released by Microsoft to mitigate the elevation of privilege vulnerability.