CVE-2020-16939: Group Policy Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Published Oct 16, 2020
·
Updated

<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Group Policy improperly checks access. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run processes in an elevated context.</p> <p>To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system, and then run a specially crafted application to take control over the affected system.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Group Policy checks access.</p>

Other sources

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Group Policy improperly checks access, aka 'Group Policy Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.

Affected Software

20 affected components
Microsoft Windows 10
Microsoft Windows 10=1607
Microsoft Windows 10=1709
Microsoft Windows 10=1803
Microsoft Windows 10=1809
Microsoft Windows 10=1903
Microsoft Windows 10=1909
Microsoft Windows 10=2004
Microsoft Windows 7=sp1
Microsoft Windows 8.1
Microsoft Windows RT 8.1
Microsoft Windows Server 2008=sp2
Microsoft Windows Server 2008=r2-sp1
Microsoft Windows Server 2012
Microsoft Windows Server 2012=r2
Microsoft Windows Server 2016
Microsoft Windows Server 2016=1903
Microsoft Windows Server 2016=1909
Microsoft Windows Server 2016=2004
Microsoft Windows Server 2019

Event History

Oct 16, 2020
CVE Published
via MITRE·10:17 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·10:17 PM
DescriptionSeverity
Data Sourced
via NVD·11:15 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Mar 9, 2026
Advisory Published
via ZDI·07:08 PM
Data Sourced
via ZDI·07:08 PM
DescriptionAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2020-16939?

CVE-2020-16939 is classified with a high severity level due to its potential for elevation of privilege.

2

How do I fix CVE-2020-16939?

To mitigate CVE-2020-16939, it's recommended to apply the latest security updates provided by Microsoft for affected Windows versions.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2020-16939?

CVE-2020-16939 affects multiple versions of Windows including Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and various editions of Windows Server.

4

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2020-16939?

CVE-2020-16939 is an elevation of privilege vulnerability that allows an attacker to run processes in an elevated context.

5

Can CVE-2020-16939 be exploited remotely?

No, exploitation of CVE-2020-16939 requires the attacker to first log on to the affected system.

Contact

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