CVE-2020-17119 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Microsoft Outlook Information Disclosure Vulnerability was published on December 9, 2020, with a CVSS base score of 6.5.

Understanding CVE-2020-17119

This CVE identifies an Information Disclosure vulnerability in Microsoft Outlook.

What is CVE-2020-17119?

The CVE-2020-17119 is an Information Disclosure vulnerability affecting Microsoft Outlook.

The Impact of CVE-2020-17119

This vulnerability could allow an attacker to access sensitive information from affected systems, potentially leading to privacy breaches.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-17119

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows unauthorized disclosure of information in Microsoft Outlook.

Affected Systems and Versions

Microsoft Office 2019 (Version 19.0.0) on 32-bit and x64-based Systems
Microsoft Office 2019 for Mac (Version 16.0.0)
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise (Version 16.0.1) on 32-bit and x64-based Systems
Microsoft Outlook 2016 (Version 16.0.0.0) on 32-bit and x64-based Systems
Microsoft Outlook 2013 Service Pack 1 (Version 15.0.0.0) on 32-bit, x64-based, and ARM64-based Systems
Microsoft Outlook 2010 Service Pack 2 (Version 13.0.0.0) on 32-bit and x64-based Systems

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by an attacker to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information stored in Microsoft Outlook.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2020-17119, follow these mitigation strategies:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security patches provided by Microsoft.
Monitor for any unauthorized access to sensitive information.
Educate users on phishing and social engineering tactics.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Microsoft Outlook and related software.
Implement access controls and encryption to protect sensitive data.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all systems running affected versions of Microsoft Outlook are updated with the latest security patches.