CVE-2020-16940
<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (1.55%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context.</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 delete files or folders of their choosing.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles junction points.</p>
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 1.55% probability · 75th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-269
- Affected
- microsoft/windows 10 · microsoft/windows 7 · microsoft/windows 8.1 · microsoft/windows rt 8.1 · microsoft/windows server 2008 · microsoft/windows server 2012 · microsoft/windows server 2016 · microsoft/windows server 2019
- Source
- secure@microsoft.com
EPSS 1.6% 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-2020-16940Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1248/Third Party Advisory
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16940Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1248/Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.