{"id":"CVE-2020-16940","url":"https://www.cyber-defence.io/tools/cve/CVE-2020-16940","generatedAt":"2026-10-27T23:29:21.260Z","title":"

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points.","description":"

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.

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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.

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The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles junction points.

","published":"2020-10-16T23:15:16.000Z","lastModified":"2026-06-17T02:58:19.000Z","status":"Modified","sourceIdentifier":"secure@microsoft.com","cvss":{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"severity":"HIGH","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"},"cwe":["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"],"epss":{"score":0.01553,"percentile":0.74956,"date":"2026-10-26","history":[]},"kev":{"listed":false},"exploits":{"count":0,"verified":false,"firstPublished":null,"source":"Exploit-DB (https://gitlab.com/exploit-database/exploitdb)","entries":[]},"verdict":{"level":"high","text":"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."},"changes":[],"references":[{"url":"https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16940","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"],"source":"secure@microsoft.com"},{"url":"https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1248/","tags":["Third Party Advisory"],"source":"secure@microsoft.com"},{"url":"https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16940","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"],"source":"af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"},{"url":"https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1248/","tags":["Third Party Advisory"],"source":"af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"}],"sources":{"nvd":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-16940","epss":"https://www.first.org/epss/","kev":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","exploitdb":"https://www.exploit-db.com/"},"licence":"CC BY 4.0 — link back to the CVE Explorer if you publish the results; upstream data remains subject to its own terms."}