7.8
Advisory Published
Updated

CVE-2020-16916: Windows COM Server Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

First published: Fri Oct 16 2020(Updated: )

<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Windows improperly handles COM object creation. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could run arbitrary code with elevated privileges.</p> <p>To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take control of an affected system.</p> <p>The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows COM Server creates COM objects.</p>

Credit: secure@microsoft.com

Affected SoftwareAffected VersionHow to fix
Windows 10
Windows 10=1607
Windows 10=1709
Windows 10=1803
Windows 10=1809
Windows 10=1903
Windows 10=1909
Windows 10=2004
Microsoft Windows 7=sp1
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows RT
Microsoft Windows Server=sp2
Microsoft Windows Server=r2-sp1
Microsoft Windows Server
Microsoft Windows Server=r2
Microsoft Windows Server 2016
Microsoft Windows Server 2016=1903
Microsoft Windows Server 2016=1909
Microsoft Windows Server 2016=2004
Microsoft Windows Server 2019

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the severity of CVE-2020-16916?

    CVE-2020-16916 is classified as an elevation of privilege vulnerability.

  • How do I fix CVE-2020-16916?

    To fix CVE-2020-16916, apply the latest security updates provided by Microsoft for your affected Windows version.

  • Which versions of Windows are affected by CVE-2020-16916?

    CVE-2020-16916 affects multiple versions of Windows, including Windows 7, 8.1, 10, and various Windows Server editions.

  • What could an attacker do by exploiting CVE-2020-16916?

    An attacker exploiting CVE-2020-16916 could run arbitrary code with elevated privileges on an affected system.

  • How can I verify if my system is vulnerable to CVE-2020-16916?

    You can verify if your system is vulnerable to CVE-2020-16916 by checking if it is running an affected version of Windows without the latest security updates.

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