An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way that the Windows Kernel handles objects in memory, aka 'Windows Kernel Elevation…

published 2020-02-11 6 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2020-2161

cvss: 7.8; version 3.1, NVD
cisa kev: Not listed; not in CISA's catalog
epss: 26.1%; EPSS 26.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 97%
public exploits: 1; Metasploit

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way that the Windows Kernel handles objects in memory, aka 'Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2020-0669, CVE-2020-0670, CVE-2020-0671, CVE-2020-0672.

Patch / fix

links 1

portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-0668 advisory

Timeline

2020-02-11 First public exploit (Metasploit exploit/windows/local/cve_2020_0668_service_tracing)
2020-02-11 Published

Exploit prediction

26.05% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 97% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

Metasploit exploit/windows/local/cve_2020_0668_service_tracing Service Tracing Privilege Elevation Vulnerability metasploit exploit, excellent rank, 2020-02-11
packetstormsecurity.com http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156576/Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Privilege-Escalation.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified
packetstormsecurity.com http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/157615/Service-Tracing-Privilege-Escalation.html referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by	version	score	vector
NVD	3.1	7.8	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD	2.0	7.2	AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Affected products

Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows Server
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit Systems
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for x64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for ARM64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation)
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1909 for 32-bit Systems
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1909 for x64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1909 for ARM64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation)

Classification

Weakness

CWE-732 Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource

References

portal.msrc.microsoft.com /en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-0668
patch, vendor-advisory
packetstormsecurity.com /files/156576/Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Privilege-Escalation.html
exploit, third-party-advisory, vdb-entry
packetstormsecurity.com /files/157615/Service-Tracing-Privilege-Escalation.html
exploit, third-party-advisory, vdb-entry
zerodayinitiative.com /advisories/ZDI-20-257/
third-party-advisory, vdb-entry

Sources

CVE List CVE-2020-0668
NVD CVE-2020-0668

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.

Summary