CVE-2020-0878
Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer Memory Corruption Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 3 May 2022). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that Microsoft browsers access objects in memory. The vulnerability could corrupt memory in a way that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, the attacker could take control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.</p> <p>An attacker could host a specially crafted website that is designed to exploit the vulnerability through Microsoft browsers, and then convince a user to view the website. The attacker could also take advantage of compromised websites, or websites that accept or host user-provided content or advertisements, by adding specially crafted content that could exploit the vulnerability. In all cases, however, an attacker would have no way to force users to view the attacker-controlled content. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to take action, typically via an enticement in email or instant message, or by getting them to open an email attachment.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by modifying how Microsoft browsers handle objects in memory.</p>
- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 MEDIUMCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
- EPSS
- 2.70% probability · 86th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Listed 3 November 2021 · due 3 May 2022 · used in ransomware campaigns
- Weakness
- CWE-787
- Affected
- microsoft/internet explorer · microsoft/edge · microsoft/chakracore
- Source
- secure@microsoft.com
EPSS 2.7% since 30 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
CISA notes
Apply updates per vendor instructions. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-0878
References
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-0878Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-0878Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-0878US Government Resource
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.