---
id: CVE-2020-0787
title: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Background
  Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) improperly handles symbolic links, aka
  'Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service Elevation of Privilege
  Vulnerability'.
summary: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Background
  Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) improperly handles symbolic links, aka
  'Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service Elevation of Privilege
  Vulnerability'.
severity: high
cvss: 7.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-59
  - CWE-59
vendor: microsoft
product: windows_10_1507
affected:
  - windows_10_1507
  - windows_10_1607
  - windows_10_1709
  - windows_10_1803
  - windows_10_1809
  - windows_10_1903
  - windows_10_1909
  - windows_7
  - windows_8.1
  - windows_rt_8.1
  - windows_server_1803
  - windows_server_1903
  - windows_server_1909
  - windows_server_2008
  - windows_server_2008 = r2
  - windows_server_2012
  - windows_server_2012 = r2
  - windows_server_2016
  - windows_server_2019
published: '2020-03-12'
updated: '2026-08-12'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-0787'
references:
  - url: >-
      http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158056/Background-Intelligent-Transfer-Service-Privilege-Escalation.html
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: >-
      https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-0787
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: >-
      http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158056/Background-Intelligent-Transfer-Service-Privilege-Escalation.html
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-0787
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-0787
    label: 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
tags:
  - nvd
  - kev
  - in-the-wild
  - exploit-available
epss: 0.42524
epssPercentile: 0.98658
kev: true
kevDateAdded: '2022-01-28'
kevDueDate: '2022-07-28'
kevRansomware: true
exploited: true
ingestedAt: '2026-08-12T05:52:07.506Z'
exploits:
  github: 2
  githubRepos:
    - 'https://github.com/cbwang505/CVE-2020-0787-EXP-ALL-WINDOWS-VERSION'
    - 'https://github.com/yanghaoi/CVE-2020-0787'
  metasploit:
    - exploit/windows/local/cve_2020_0787_bits_arbitrary_file_move
  checkedAt: '2026-09-25T08:20:37.070Z'
exploitAvailable: true
---

## Overview

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) improperly handles symbolic links, aka 'Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.

## Affected

- `windows_10_1507`
- `windows_10_1607`
- `windows_10_1709`
- `windows_10_1803`
- `windows_10_1809`
- `windows_10_1903`
- `windows_10_1909`
- `windows_7`
- `windows_8.1`
- `windows_rt_8.1`
- `windows_server_1803`
- `windows_server_1903`
- `windows_server_1909`
- `windows_server_2008`
- `windows_server_2008 = r2`
- `windows_server_2012`
- `windows_server_2012 = r2`
- `windows_server_2016`
- `windows_server_2019`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.