---
id: CVE-2020-1079
title: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows fails to
  properly handle objects in memory
summary: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows fails to
  properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this
  vulnerability could run arbitrary code. An attacker could then install
  programs; view…
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'
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_8.1
  - windows_rt_8.1
  - 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-2020-1079'
references:
  - url: 'https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1079'
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: >-
      https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-1079
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00985
epssPercentile: 0.60906
ingestedAt: '2026-08-19T17:42:37.294Z'
---

## Overview

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code. 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 first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application to take control of an affected system.
The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows handles objects in memory.

## Affected

- `windows_10`
- `windows_10 = 1607`
- `windows_10 = 1709`
- `windows_10 = 1803`
- `windows_10 = 1809`
- `windows_10 = 1903`
- `windows_10 = 1909`
- `windows_8.1`
- `windows_rt_8.1`
- `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.