Microsoft Windows
CVE-2020-0981 — Windows Token Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
Executive Summary
A security feature bypass vulnerability exists when Windows fails to properly handle token relationships. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could allow an application with a certain integrity level to execute code at a different integrity level, leading to a sandbox escape. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Windows handles token relationships
Overview
8.8
CVSS HIGH
Important
MS Severity
Not Exploited
MS Exploit Status
Less Likely
MS Exploit Likelihood
CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C
ATTACK VECTOR
Local
ATTACK COMPLEXITY
Low
PRIVILEGES REQUIRED
Low
USER INTERACTION
None
SCOPE
Changed
CONFIDENTIALITY
Low
INTEGRITY
Low
AVAILABILITY
Low
EXPLOIT CODE MATURITY
Proof-of-Concept
REMEDIATION LEVEL
Official Fix
REPORT CONFIDENCE
Confirmed
Temporal Score: 5.7
EPSS Score
0.01271
probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
0.67274 percentile - updated 2026-08-14
View on FIRST.org
Affected Products
8 affected products
| Product | KB Article | Severity | Impact | Restart Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit Systems | 4549951 (Security Update) |
Important | Security Feature Bypass | Yes |
| Windows 10 Version 1903 for ARM64-based Systems | 4549951 (Security Update) |
Important | Security Feature Bypass | Yes |
| Windows 10 Version 1903 for x64-based Systems | 4549951 (Security Update) |
Important | Security Feature Bypass | Yes |
| Windows 10 Version 1909 for 32-bit Systems | 4549951 (Security Update) |
Important | Security Feature Bypass | Yes |
| Windows 10 Version 1909 for ARM64-based Systems | 4549951 (Security Update) |
Important | Security Feature Bypass | Yes |
| Windows 10 Version 1909 for x64-based Systems | 4549951 (Security Update) |
Important | Security Feature Bypass | Yes |
| Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation) | 4549951 (Security Update) |
Important | Security Feature Bypass | Yes |
| Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation) | 4549951 (Security Update) |
Important | Security Feature Bypass | Yes |
Patches
1 patch
| Article | Type | Restart |
|---|---|---|
4549951 |
Security Update | Yes |
Exploits & PoC
No public exploit or PoC has been linked for this CVE yet. When available, references are sourced from public repositories and may be unverified or non-functional — review carefully before use.
Detection Rules
No public Sigma or Nuclei detection rule has been mapped to this CVE yet. Coverage is concentrated on exploited / high-profile vulnerabilities; check SigmaHQ for updates.
Acknowledgments
James Forshaw of Google Project Zero
References
On This Page