CVE-2020-1012

WinINet API Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

HIGH
8.8
CVSS Score
Published: September 11, 2020 at 05:08 PM UTC
Updated: June 17, 2026 at 03:00 AM UTC
9 products affected across 1 vendorInternet ExplorerWindows Server 2016Windows Server 2019

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Severity
HIGH8.8
Exploit prediction
EPSS 4%

Description

<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way that the Wininit.dll handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could execute code with elevated permissions.</p> <p>There are multiple ways an attacker could exploit the vulnerability:</p> <ul> <li><p>In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a specially crafted website that is designed to exploit this vulnerability and then convince a user to view the website. An attacker would have no way to force users to view the attacker-controlled content. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to take action, typically by getting them to click a link in an email message or in an Instant Messenger message that takes users to the attacker's website, or by opening an attachment sent through email.</p> </li> <li><p>In a file sharing attack scenario, an attacker could provide a specially crafted document file that is designed to exploit this vulnerability, and then convince a user to open the document file.</p> </li> </ul> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by ensuring the Wininit.dll properly handles objects in memory.</p>

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

1.0.0 ≤ v < publication1.0.011
Affected range stops below publication, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement
microsoft-windows-10 (environment) · microsoft-windows-7 (environment) · microsoft-windows-8-1 (environment) · microsoft-windows-rt-8-1 (environment) · microsoft-windows-server-2008 (environment) · microsoft-windows-server-2012 (environment) · microsoft-windows-server-2016 (environment) · microsoft-windows-server-2019 (environment)
All versions
All versions
All versions
All versions
All versions
All versions
All versions
All versions

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

CVSS

8.8HIGHmicrosoft
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
NVD-CWE-noinfo

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