CVE-2020-16949 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

A denial of service vulnerability exists in Microsoft Outlook software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could cause a remote denial of service against a system. Exploitation of the vulnerability requires that a specially crafted email be sent to a vulnerable Outlook server. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Outlook handles objects in memory.

Understanding CVE-2020-16949

This CVE involves a Denial of Service vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook.

What is CVE-2020-16949?

Denial of service vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook due to improper handling of objects in memory
Attackers can exploit this to cause a remote denial of service

The Impact of CVE-2020-16949

Successful exploitation can lead to a remote denial of service attack

Technical Details of CVE-2020-16949

This section provides technical details of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Type: Denial of Service
CVSS Base Score: 4.7 (Medium)
CVSS Vector: AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C

Affected Systems and Versions

Microsoft Office 2019 (Version 19.0.0)
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise (Version 16.0.1)
Microsoft Outlook 2016 (Version 16.0.0.0)
Microsoft Outlook 2013 Service Pack 1 (Version 15.0.0.0)
Microsoft Outlook 2010 Service Pack 2 (Version 13.0.0.0)
Platforms: 32-bit Systems, x64-based Systems, ARM64-based Systems

Exploitation Mechanism

Specially crafted email sent to a vulnerable Outlook server

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2020-16949 with these steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the security update provided by Microsoft
Educate users on identifying and avoiding suspicious emails

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and security patches
Implement email filtering and security protocols

Patching and Updates

Ensure all affected systems are updated with the latest security patches