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CVE-2020-16938

Status: ModifiedMedium (5.5)—💥 PoC

<p>An information disclosure vulnerability exists when the Windows kernel improperly handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could obtain information to further compromise the user’s system.</p> <p>To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would have to log on to an affected system and run a specially crafted application. The vulnerability would not allow an attacker to execute code or to elevate user rights directly, but it could be used to obtain information that could be used to try to further compromise the affected system.</p> <p>The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows kernel handles objects in memory.</p>

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 (2)

Microsoft — Windows 10Microsoft — Windows Server 2016

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show
{
  "id": "CVE-2020-16938",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 2.1,
          "accessVector": "LOCAL",
          "vectorString": "AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N",
          "authentication": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "accessComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "PARTIAL"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 2.9,
        "baseSeverity": "LOW",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.9,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": false
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Secondary",
        "source": "secure@microsoft.com",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 5.5,
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 3.6,
        "exploitabilityScore": 1.8
      },
      {
        "type": "Secondary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 5.5,
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 3.6,
        "exploitabilityScore": 1.8
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "secure@microsoft.com",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "cpes": [
            "cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10_1809:*:*:*:*:*:*:x64:*"
          ],
          "vendor": "Microsoft",
          "product": "Windows 10 Version 2004",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "10.0.0",
              "lessThan": "publication",
              "versionType": "custom"
            }
          ],
          "platforms": [
            "32-bit Systems",
            "ARM64-based Systems",
            "x64-based Systems"
          ]
        },
        {
          "cpes": [
            "cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*"
          ],
          "vendor": "Microsoft",
          "product": "Windows Server version 2004",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "10.0.0",
              "lessThan": "publication",
              "versionType": "custom"
            }
          ],
          "platforms": [
            "x64-based Systems"
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2020-10-16T23:15:15.617",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16938",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secure@microsoft.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16938",
      "tags": [
        "Patch",
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "NVD-CWE-noinfo"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "<p>An information disclosure vulnerability exists when the Windows kernel improperly handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could obtain information to further compromise the user’s system.</p>\n<p>To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would have to log on to an affected system and run a specially crafted application. The vulnerability would not allow an attacker to execute code or to elevate user rights directly, but it could be used to obtain information that could be used to try to further compromise the affected system.</p>\n<p>The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows kernel handles objects in memory.</p>"
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "Se presenta una vulnerabilidad de divulgación de información cuando el kernel de Windows maneja inapropiadamente objetos en memoria, también se conoce como \"Windows Kernel Information Disclosure Vulnerability\".&#xa0;Este ID de CVE es diferente de CVE-2020-16901"
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T02:58:18.830",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_10:2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "AAE74AF3-C559-4645-A6C0-25C3D647AAC8"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows_server_2016:2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "0B60D940-80C7-49F0-8F4E-3F99AC15FA82"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "secure@microsoft.com"
}