Vulnerability Monitor

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CVE-2020-16933

<p>A security feature bypass vulnerability exists in Microsoft Word software when it fails to properly handle .LNK files. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could use a specially crafted file to perform actions in the security context of the current user. For example, the file could then take actions on behalf of the logged-on user with the same permissions as the current user.</p> <p>To exploit the vulnerability, a user must open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Microsoft Word software. In an email attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending the specially crafted file to the user and convincing the user to open the file. In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a website (or leverage a compromised website that accepts or hosts user-provided content) that contains a specially crafted file that is designed to exploit the vulnerability. However, an attacker would have no way to force the user to visit the website. Instead, an attacker would have to convince the user to click a link, typically by way of an enticement in an email or Instant Messenger message, and then convince the user to open the specially crafted file.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Word handles these files.</p>

Security Impact Summary

This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.0, requiring local system access to exploit but requires specific conditions to be met though user interaction is required and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 11 products from microsoft, from microsoft, from microsoft and 8 others, organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.

Historical Context

Reported in 2020, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.

Published

2020-10-16T23:15:15.367

Last Modified

2026-02-23T18:21:26.603

Status

Modified

Source

[email protected]

Severity

CVSSv3.1: 7.0 (HIGH)

CVSSv2 Vector

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

  • Access Vector: NETWORK
  • Access Complexity: MEDIUM
  • Authentication: NONE
  • Confidentiality Impact: PARTIAL
  • Integrity Impact: PARTIAL
  • Availability Impact: PARTIAL
Exploitability Score

8.6

Impact Score

6.4

Weaknesses
  • Type: Primary
    NVD-CWE-noinfo
Affected Vendors & Products
Type Vendor Product Version/Range Vulnerable?
Operating System microsoft windows_10 - Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_10 1607 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_10 1709 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_10 1803 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_10 1809 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_10 1903 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_10 1909 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_10 2004 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_7 - Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_8.1 - Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_rt_8.1 - Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_server_2008 - Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_server_2008 r2 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_server_2012 - Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_server_2012 r2 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_server_2016 - Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_server_2016 1903 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_server_2016 1909 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_server_2016 2004 Yes
Operating System microsoft windows_server_2019 - Yes
Application microsoft 365_apps - Yes
Application microsoft office 2016 Yes
Application microsoft office 2019 Yes
Application microsoft office 2019 Yes
Application microsoft word 2010 Yes
Application microsoft word 2013 Yes
Application microsoft word 2013 Yes
Application microsoft word 2016 Yes
References

How SecUtils Interprets This CVE

SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For microsoft's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.