CVE-2020-0986

Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

  • High 7.8
  • Exploited: added to CISA KEV 3 Nov 2021

Description

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows kernel fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka 'Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2020-1237, CVE-2020-1246, CVE-2020-1262, CVE-2020-1264, CVE-2020-1266, CVE-2020-1269, CVE-2020-1273, CVE-2020-1274, CVE-2020-1275, CVE-2020-1276, CVE-2020-1307, CVE-2020-1316.

Key facts

Published
9 Jun 2020
Last changed
21 Oct 2025
Assigned by
microsoft
KEV added
3 Nov 2021
KEV fix due
3 May 2022
EPSS
16.405% likely to be exploited in the next 30 days, higher than 97.03% of CVEs (scores for 15 Nov 2026)
SSVC (CISA)
Exploitation: active; Automatable: no; Technical impact: total

Severity scores

Each score is shown as its source gave it. They are not averaged or merged.

  • 7.8CVSS 3.1, Highfrom CISA (ADP container)CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

What to do

  • Apply updates per vendor instructions.CISA KEV required action

Historical context and remediation

This reference retains the original CVE publication date. A recent record update does not mean a new attack occurred.

No separately sourced impact summary is available on this page yet. Consult the description, version data and dated exploitation evidence.

Version statuses below come from the CNA. An “unaffected” version is not necessarily a currently supported release or proof of a patch date. EPSS is a dated risk estimate, not a count of historical attacks.

Read the original CVE record.

Affected products

VendorProductVersions
MicrosoftWindows
  • 10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems (affected)
  • 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems (affected)
  • 10 Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems (affected)
  • 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems (affected)
  • 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems (affected)
  • 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems (affected)
  • 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems (affected)
  • 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems (affected)
  • 10 Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems (affected)
  • 10 for 32-bit Systems (affected)
  • 10 for x64-based Systems (affected)
  • 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems (affected)
  • 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems (affected)
  • 8.1 for 32-bit systems (affected)
  • 8.1 for x64-based systems (affected)
  • RT 8.1 (affected)
MicrosoftWindows Server
  • version 1803 (Core Installation) (affected)
  • 2019 (affected)
  • 2019 (Core installation) (affected)
  • 2016 (affected)
  • 2016 (Core installation) (affected)
  • 2012 (affected)
  • 2012 (Core installation) (affected)
  • 2012 R2 (affected)
  • 2012 R2 (Core installation) (affected)
MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 1909 for 32-bit Systems
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 1909 for x64-based Systems
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 1909 for ARM64-based Systems
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation)
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit Systems
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 1903 for x64-based Systems
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 1903 for ARM64-based Systems
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation)
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 2004 for 32-bit Systems
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows Server, version 2004 (Server Core installation)
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 2004 for ARM64-based Systems
  • unspecified (affected)
MicrosoftWindows 10 Version 2004 for x64-based Systems
  • unspecified (affected)

Timeline

  1. 9 Jun 2020 Published
  2. 3 Nov 2021 CVE-2020-0986 added to CISA KEV
  3. 3 Nov 2021 Added to the CISA KEV catalogue

Weakness

References