CVE-2020-1048
Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly allows arbitrary writing to the file system. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with elevated system privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would have to log on to an affected system and run a specially crafted script or application. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows Print Spooler Component writes to the file system.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly allows arbitrary writing to the file system. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with elevated system privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would have to log on to an affected system and run a specially crafted script or application. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows Print Spooler Component writes to the file system.
- Record
CVE-2020-1048- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C - Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-11941
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly allows arbitrary writing to the file system. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with elevated system privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would have to log on to an affected system and run a specially crafted script or application. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows Print Spooler Component writes to the file system.
- Record
EUVD-2020-11941- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-mvfv-8xhv-cj53
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly...
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly allows arbitrary writing to the file system, aka 'Windows Print Spooler Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2020-1070.
- Record
GHSA-mvfv-8xhv-cj53- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-269, CWE-669
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly allows arbitrary writing to the file system. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with elevated system privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would have to log on to an affected system and run a specially crafted script or application. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows Print Spooler Component writes to the file system.
- Record
CVE-2020-1048- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.2 High
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-669
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
- microsoft windows 10 version 1507
- microsoft windows 10 version 1607
- microsoft windows 10 version 1709
- microsoft windows 10 version 1709 for 32-bit systems
- microsoft windows 10 version 1803
- microsoft windows 10 version 1809
- microsoft windows 10 version 1903 for 32-bit systems
- microsoft windows 10 version 1903 for arm64-based systems
- microsoft windows 10 version 1903 for x64-based systems
- microsoft windows 10 version 1909
- microsoft windows 7
- microsoft windows 7 service pack 1
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- microsoft windows 8.1
- microsoft windows server 2008 r2 service pack 1
- microsoft windows server 2008 r2 service pack 1 (server core installation)
- microsoft windows server 2008 service pack 2
- microsoft windows server 2008 service pack 2 (server core installation)
- microsoft windows server 2012
- microsoft windows server 2012 (server core installation)
- microsoft windows server 2012 r2
- microsoft windows server 2012 r2 (server core installation)
- microsoft windows server 2016
- microsoft windows server 2016 (server core installation)
- microsoft windows server 2019
- microsoft windows server 2019 (server core installation)
- microsoft windows server, version 1803 (server core installation)
- microsoft windows server, version 1903 (server core installation)
- microsoft windows server, version 1909 (server core installation)
- microsoft windows 10
- microsoft windows rt 8.1
- microsoft windows server 2008
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit | Microsoft Spooler Local Privilege Elevation Vulnerability | 2019-11-04 |
| PoC in GitHub | zveriu/CVE-2009-0229-PoC | 2020-05-14 |
| PoC in GitHub | shubham0d/CVE-2020-1048 | 2020-06-23 |
| PoC in GitHub | Ken-Abruzzi/CVE-2020-1048 | 2020-09-21 |
| PoC in GitHub | Y3A/cve-2020-1048 | 2023-06-30 |
| PoC in GitHub | talsim/printDemon2system | 2025-06-23 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| exploits, facts | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, Metasploit, NVD, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2020-1048 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507, published May 21, 2020. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 16.5%, the 97th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1048
portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-1048
packetstormsecurity.com/files/158222/Windows-Print-Spooler-Privilege-Escalation.html
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1048
github.com/advisories/GHSA-mvfv-8xhv-cj53