{"id":"CVE-2020-1054","kind":"vulnerability","aliases":["CVE-2020-1054"],"related":[],"title":"Microsoft Win32k: Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation Vulnerability","description":"An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Windows kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.\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 take control of an affected system.\nThe update addresses this vulnerability by correcting how the Windows kernel-mode driver handles objects in memory.","summary":"Microsoft Win32k, the Windows kernel-mode graphics driver, mishandles objects in memory. An attacker who already runs code on the machine can escalate to kernel-mode code execution, which gives full control of the system.","severity":"high","cvss":7.8,"epss":0.53878,"exploited":true,"exploited_at":"2021-11-03T00:00:00+00:00","products":[{"name":"Microsoft Win32k","fixed":[],"affected":"","ecosystem":"vendor"}],"ecosystems":["vendor"],"tags":["exploited","infrastructure","self-hosted","windows"],"not_affected_if":["patched-windows"],"how_to_check":null,"fix":"Apply the Microsoft security update for CVE-2020-1054 per vendor instructions (CISA KEV required action); the sources do not name the patched build.","status":"open","published_at":"2020-05-21T23:15:12+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00","triaged_at":"2026-10-23T21:37:04+00:00","updated_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00","category":"infrastructure","confidence":0.7,"triage":{"at":"2026-10-23T21:37:04Z","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","output":{"fix":"Apply the Microsoft security update for CVE-2020-1054 per vendor instructions (CISA KEV required action); the sources do not name the patched build.","reach":"local","impact":"high","summary":"Microsoft Win32k, the Windows kernel-mode graphics driver, mishandles objects in memory. An attacker who already runs code on the machine can escalate to kernel-mode code execution, which gives full control of the system.","category":"infrastructure","who_cares":["windows","self-hosted"],"confidence":0.7,"needs_auth":"yes","worst_case":"local user gains kernel code execution and full system control","analyst_note":"Find the affected Windows builds and the patch KB list in Microsoft's CVE-2020-1054 advisory; the sources give no version data.","how_to_check":"unknown","needs_analyst":true,"not_affected_if":["patched-windows"],"user_interaction":"no","needs_special_setup":"unknown","severity_if_unknown":"high"},"cost_usd":0.000455,"input_tokens":2854,"output_tokens":340,"severity_before":"unknown"},"analyst_status":"queued","analyst_note":"Find the affected Windows builds and the patch KB list in Microsoft's CVE-2020-1054 advisory; the sources give no version data.","search":"'-1054':10A,13A '-2020':9A,12A 'account':109C 'address':152C 'affect':148C 'alreadi':38B 'applic':137C 'arbitrari':90C 'attack':36B,82C,96C,119C,130C 'chang':102C 'code':40B,50B,91C 'control':55B,145C 'correct':156C 'could':88C,97C,131C,139C 'craft':136C 'creat':107C 'cve':8A,11A 'data':105C 'delet':104C 'driver':30B,73C,163C 'elev':60C 'escal':6A,45B 'execut':51B 'exist':64C 'exploit':16B,85C,115C,140C 'fail':74C 'first':121C 'full':54B,111C 'give':53B 'graphic':29B 'handl':77C,164C 'host':20B 'infrastructur':17B 'instal':99C 'kernel':27B,48B,71C,93C,161C 'kernel-mod':26B,47B,70C,160C 'log':124C 'machin':43B 'memori':34B,80C,167C 'microsoft':1A,3A,14A,22B 'mishandl':31B 'mode':28B,49B,72C,94C,162C 'new':108C 'object':32B,78C,165C 'privileg':5A,62C 'program':100C 'proper':76C 'right':113C 'run':39B,89C,133C 'self':19B 'self-host':18B 'special':135C 'success':84C 'system':58B,128C,149C 'take':144C 'updat':151C 'user':112C 'view':101C 'vulner':7A,63C,87C,117C,142C,154C 'win32k':2A,4A,15A,23B 'window':21B,25B,66C,69C,159C 'would':120C","nicknames":[],"mitigations":[],"who_affected":null,"tier":null,"verified":{},"analyst_revisit_at":null,"first_public_at":"2020-05-21T23:15:12+00:00","kev":{"dateAdded":"2021-11-03","dueDate":"2022-05-03","requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","knownRansomwareCampaignUse":"Unknown"},"cvss_vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","cvss_by":"secure@microsoft.com","poc_count":0,"sources":[{"source":"kev","external_id":"CVE-2020-1054","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2020-1054","severity":null,"published_at":"2021-11-03T00:00:00+00:00","modified_at":null,"first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:53+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-25T13:39:33+00:00","note":null},{"source":"epss","external_id":"CVE-2020-1054","url":"https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2020-1054","severity":null,"published_at":null,"modified_at":null,"first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:13:43+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T19:13:43+00:00","note":null},{"source":"nvd","external_id":"CVE-2020-1054","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1054","severity":null,"published_at":"2020-05-21T23:15:12+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-08T10:36:00+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T21:57:34+00:00","note":null}],"documents":[],"notice":"Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai"}