CVE-2020-16856
<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Visual Studio when it improperly handles objects in memory.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (4.37%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Visual Studio when it improperly handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could run arbitrary code in the context of the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take control of the affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.</p> <p>To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker would have to convince a user to open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Visual Studio.</p> <p>The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Visual Studio handles objects in memory.</p>
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 4.37% probability · 91th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Affected
- microsoft/visual studio · microsoft/visual studio 2017 · microsoft/visual studio 2019
- Source
- secure@microsoft.com
EPSS 4.4% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16856Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16856Patch, Vendor Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.