---
id: CVE-2020-1088
title: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows Error Reporting
  (WER) when WER handles and executes files
summary: >-
  An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows Error Reporting
  (WER) when WER handles and executes files. The vulnerability could allow
  elevation of privilege if an attacker can successfully exploit it.

  An attacker who success…
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_server_2016
  - windows_server_2019
  - windows_server_2019 = 1803
  - windows_server_2019 = 1903
  - windows_server_2019 = 1909
published: '2020-05-21'
updated: '2026-08-19'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1088'
references:
  - url: 'https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1088'
    label: secure@microsoft.com
  - url: >-
      https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-1088
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.0087
epssPercentile: 0.57067
ingestedAt: '2026-08-19T17:42:37.725Z'
---

## Overview

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows Error Reporting (WER) when WER handles and executes files. The vulnerability could allow elevation of privilege if an attacker can successfully exploit it.
An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could gain greater access to sensitive information and system functionality. To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker could run a specially crafted application.
The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the way that WER handles and executes files.

## Affected

- `windows_10`
- `windows_10 = 1607`
- `windows_10 = 1709`
- `windows_10 = 1803`
- `windows_10 = 1809`
- `windows_10 = 1903`
- `windows_10 = 1909`
- `windows_server_2016`
- `windows_server_2019`
- `windows_server_2019 = 1803`
- `windows_server_2019 = 1903`
- `windows_server_2019 = 1909`

## Remediation

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