CVE-2020-16962 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis
Learn about CVE-2020-16962, an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Backup Engine affecting various Windows versions. Find mitigation steps and the impact of the vulnerability.
Windows Backup Engine Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability was published on December 8, 2020, by Microsoft. The vulnerability affects various versions of Windows operating systems.
Understanding CVE-2020-16962
This CVE identifies an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Backup Engine.
What is CVE-2020-16962?
The CVE-2020-16962 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Backup Engine, allowing attackers to gain elevated privileges on the affected system.
The Impact of CVE-2020-16962
The impact of this vulnerability is rated as HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8. Attackers can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-16962
This section provides technical details about the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability allows attackers to elevate privileges on the system by exploiting the Windows Backup Engine.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Windows 10 Version 20H2, Windows Server version 20H2, Windows 10 Version 1803, Windows 10 Version 1809, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation), Windows 10 Version 1909, Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation), Windows 10 Version 1903, Windows 10 Version 2004, Windows Server version 2004, Windows 10 Version 1507, Windows 10 Version 1607, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation), Windows 7, Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability can be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges on affected Windows systems.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2020-16962, follow these mitigation steps:
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply security updates provided by Microsoft.
- Monitor for any unusual system behavior.
- Implement the principle of least privilege.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch systems.
- Conduct security training for users and IT staff.
- Implement network segmentation and access controls.
Patching and Updates
- Ensure all affected systems are updated with the latest security patches from Microsoft.