Description
<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context.</p>
<p>To 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 delete files or folders of their choosing.</p>
<p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles junction points.</p>
Published: 2020-10-16
Score: 7.8 High
EPSS: < 1% Very Low
KEV: No
Impact: n/a
Action: n/a
AI Analysis

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Remediation

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Tracking

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Advisories
Source ID Title
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2020-8898 <p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context.</p> <p>To 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 delete files or folders of their choosing.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles junction points.</p>
History

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 18:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description <p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context.</p> <p>To 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 delete files or folders of their choosing.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles junction points.</p> <p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context.</p> <p>To 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 delete files or folders of their choosing.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles junction points.</p>

Subscriptions

Microsoft Windows 10 Windows 10 1507 Windows 10 1607 Windows 10 1803 Windows 10 1809 Windows 10 1909 Windows 7 Windows 8.1 Windows Rt 8.1 Windows Server 1903 Windows Server 1909 Windows Server 2004 Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 Sp2 Windows Server 2012 Windows Server 2012 R2 Windows Server 2016 Windows Server 2019
cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: microsoft

Published:

Updated: 2024-08-04T13:45:34.556Z

Reserved: 2020-08-04T00:00:00.000Z

Link: CVE-2020-16940

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Modified

Published: 2020-10-16T23:15:15.710

Modified: 2026-02-23T18:21:28.373

Link: CVE-2020-16940

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

No data.

Weaknesses