---
id: "CVE-2020-0683"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2020-0683"]
title: "Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows Installer Privilege Escalation Vulnerability"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.8
epss: 0.07605
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "Microsoft Windows", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["exploited", "infrastructure", "windows", "windows-installer"]
not_affected_if: ["fully-patched-windows"]
published_at: "2020-02-11T22:15:15+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-0683", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2020-0683", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-0683", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"}]
---

# Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows Installer Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Windows Installer mishandles symbolic links when processing MSI packages, letting a local user bypass access restrictions to add or remove files. An attacker with a low-privilege account can use this to escalate privileges on the machine.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Microsoft Windows affected ? fixed ?

## Fix

Apply the Microsoft security update for CVE-2020-0683 per vendor instructions; the sources do not name the patched build.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-0683
- 2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2020-0683
- 2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-0683

## From the sources

Microsoft Windows Installer contains a privilege escalation vulnerability when MSI packages process symbolic links, which allows attackers to bypass access restrictions to add or remove files.

CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

---

_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_