CVE-2020-1054
Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Windows kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode. 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 first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take control of an affected system. The update addresses this vulnerability by correcting how the Windows kernel-mode driver handles objects in memory.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- High
- 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
Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Windows kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode. 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 first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take control of an affected system. The update addresses this vulnerability by correcting how the Windows kernel-mode driver handles objects in memory.
- Record
CVE-2020-1054- CVSS 3.1
- 7.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C - Weakness
- CWE-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-11947
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Windows kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode. 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 first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take control of an affected system. The update addresses this vulnerability by correcting how the Windows kernel-mode driver handles objects in memory.
- Record
EUVD-2020-11947- CVSS 3.1
- 7.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-5qfv-hvxp-fg32
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Windows kernel-mode driver...
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Windows kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka 'Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2020-1143.
- Record
GHSA-5qfv-hvxp-fg32- 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-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CISA KEV No score
Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Microsoft Win32k contains a privilege escalation vulnerability when the Windows kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory. Successful exploitation allows an attacker to execute code in kernel mode.
- Record
CVE-2020-1054- Weakness
- CWE-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Windows kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode. 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 first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take control of an affected system. The update addresses this vulnerability by correcting how the Windows kernel-mode driver handles objects in memory.
- Record
CVE-2020-1054- CVSS 3.1
- 7.0 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - 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-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
- microsoft win32k
- 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
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- microsoft windows 7 service pack 1
- 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 1507
- microsoft windows 10 1607
- microsoft windows 10 1709
- microsoft windows 10 1803
- microsoft windows 10 1809
- microsoft windows 10 1903
- microsoft windows 10 1909
- microsoft windows rt 8.1
- microsoft windows server 1803
- microsoft windows server 1903
- microsoft windows server 1909
- microsoft windows server 2008
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit | Microsoft Windows DrawIconEx OOB Write Local Privilege Elevation | 2020-02-20 |
| PoC in GitHub | 0xeb-bp/cve-2020-1054 | 2020-06-16 |
| PoC in GitHub | Iamgublin/CVE-2020-1054 | 2020-07-19 |
| PoC in GitHub | KaLendsi/CVE-2020-1054 | 2020-07-25 |
| PoC in GitHub | Graham382/CVE-2020-1054 | 2020-10-28 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| exploitation, exploits | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, CISA KEV, Metasploit, NVD, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2020-1054 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.0) in Microsoft Win32k, published May 21, 2020. CISA lists it as known to be exploited, since November 3, 2021. EUVD reports exploitation since November 3, 2021. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 53.9%, the 99th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1054
portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-1054
packetstormsecurity.com/files/160515/Microsoft-Windows-DrawIconEx-Local-Privilege-Escalation.html
cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-1054
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1054
github.com/advisories/GHSA-5qfv-hvxp-fg32