CVE-2020-17014 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability was published on November 10, 2020, by Microsoft.

Understanding CVE-2020-17014

This CVE involves an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Print Spooler service.

What is CVE-2020-17014?

The CVE-2020-17014 vulnerability is classified as an elevation of privilege issue, allowing attackers to gain higher system privileges than intended.

The Impact of CVE-2020-17014

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7.8.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-17014

This section provides detailed technical information about the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows attackers to elevate their privileges on affected systems.

Affected Systems and Versions

Windows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit, x64-based, and ARM64-based Systems
Windows Server version 1903 (Server Core installation)
Windows 10 Version 2004
Windows Server version 2004
Windows 10 Version 1507 and 1607
Windows Server 2016
Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)
Windows 7 and 7 Service Pack 1
Windows 8.1
Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (Server Core installation)
Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1
Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (Server Core installation)
Windows Server 2012 and 2012 (Server Core installation)
Windows Server 2012 R2 and 2012 R2 (Server Core installation)
Windows Server version 20H2
Windows 10 Version 1803, 1809, 1909, 20H2
Windows Server 2019 and 2019 (Server Core installation)

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by malicious actors to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2020-17014 with the following measures:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security updates provided by Microsoft promptly.
Implement the principle of least privilege to restrict user access.
Monitor system logs for any suspicious activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch all software and operating systems.
Conduct security training for employees to raise awareness of potential threats.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all affected systems are updated with the latest security patches from Microsoft.