CVE-2020-16936 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Windows Backup Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability was published by Microsoft on October 13, 2020. The vulnerability affects various Windows versions.

Understanding CVE-2020-16936

This CVE identifies an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Backup Service.

What is CVE-2020-16936?

An elevation of privilege vulnerability occurs due to improper handling of file operations by the Windows Backup Service.

The Impact of CVE-2020-16936

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to elevate privileges on a compromised system.
Successful exploitation requires prior execution on the victim system.
The security update addresses this issue by fixing how the Windows Backup Service manages file operations.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-16936

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from the improper handling of file operations by the Windows Backup Service.

Affected Systems and Versions

Windows 10 Version 1803, 1809, 1909, 1507, 1607, 1709, 1903, 2004
Windows Server 2019, 2016
Windows 7, Server 2008 R2

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers need prior execution on the victim system to exploit this vulnerability.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2020-16936 with the following measures:

Immediate Steps to Take

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

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch your systems to prevent known vulnerabilities.
Implement least privilege access to limit the impact of potential privilege escalation attacks.
Conduct regular security assessments and audits to identify and address security gaps.

Patching and Updates

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