---
id: CVE-2020-1048
title: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler
  service improperly allows arbitrary writing to the file system
summary: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler
  service improperly allows arbitrary writing to the file system. An attacker
  who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with
  elevate…
severity: high
cvss: 7.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-669
vendor: microsoft
product: windows_10
affected:
  - windows_10
  - 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_2008
  - windows_server_2008 = r2
  - windows_server_2012
  - windows_server_2012 = r2
  - windows_server_2016
  - windows_server_2016 = 1803
  - windows_server_2016 = 1903
  - windows_server_2016 = 1909
  - windows_server_2019
published: '2020-05-21'
updated: '2026-08-19'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1048'
references:
  - url: 'https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1048'
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: >-
      http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/158222/Windows-Print-Spooler-Privilege-Escalation.html
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/159217/Microsoft-Spooler-Local-Privilege-Elevation.html
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-1048
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
  - exploit-available
epss: 0.16373
epssPercentile: 0.96854
ingestedAt: '2026-08-19T17:42:36.346Z'
exploits:
  github: 5
  githubRepos:
    - 'https://github.com/zveriu/CVE-2009-0229-PoC'
    - 'https://github.com/shubham0d/CVE-2020-1048'
    - 'https://github.com/Ken-Abruzzi/CVE-2020-1048'
  metasploit:
    - exploit/windows/local/cve_2020_1048_printerdemon
  checkedAt: '2026-09-25T08:20:37.161Z'
exploitAvailable: true
---

## Overview

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Print Spooler service improperly allows arbitrary writing to the file system. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with elevated system privileges. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.
To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would have to log on to an affected system and run a specially crafted script or application.
The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows Print Spooler Component writes to the file system.

## Affected

- `windows_10`
- `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_2008`
- `windows_server_2008 = r2`
- `windows_server_2012`
- `windows_server_2012 = r2`
- `windows_server_2016`
- `windows_server_2016 = 1803`
- `windows_server_2016 = 1903`
- `windows_server_2016 = 1909`
- `windows_server_2019`

## Remediation

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