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CVE-2019-0986

Status: ModifiedMedium (6.3)—💥 PoC

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles symlinks. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context. 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. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles symlinks.

CVSS

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

💥 Public exploits

Exploit code or detection templates are publicly available. This is not the same as confirmed active exploitation (KEV), but it raises the risk: patch with priority.

⚠️ GitHub proofs of concept are not verified: some are fake or contain malware. Never run them outside an isolated lab.

Affected technologies (8)

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show
{
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  "published": "2019-06-12T14:29:02.180",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2019-0986",
      "source": "secure@microsoft.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-0986",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-59"
        }
      ]
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  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles symlinks. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context.\nTo 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.\nThe security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles symlinks."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "Existe una vulnerabilidad de elevación de privilegios cuando User Profile Service (ProfSvc) de Windows maneja inapropiadamente los enlaces simbólicos (symlinks), también se conoce como \"Windows User Profile Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability\"."
    }
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  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T02:09:21.910",
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}