---
id: CVE-2020-1081
title: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Printer
  Service improperly validates file paths while loading printer drivers
summary: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Printer
  Service improperly validates file paths while loading printer drivers. An
  authenticated attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run
  arbitrary co…
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-20
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-2020-1081'
references:
  - url: 'https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1081'
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: >-
      https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-1081
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.00944
epssPercentile: 0.59583
ingestedAt: '2026-08-19T17:42:37.331Z'
---

## Overview

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows Printer Service improperly validates file paths while loading printer drivers. An authenticated attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code with elevated system privileges.
To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take control of an affected system.
The update addresses this vulnerability by correcting how the Windows Printer Service validates file paths.

## 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.