VulnTideExploited vulnerabilities, by vendor. Data as of .
Known exploitedIn CISA's KEV catalog since Ransomware use: known
Microsoft Windows

CVE-2020-0787: Microsoft Windows Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability

Is it exploited?

Yes. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on , 687 days after the CVE record was published.

How likely is exploitation in the next 30 days?
42.5%

EPSS score, percentile 98.7 of all scored records

How severe?
7.8 High

CVSS v3.1 base score, from CISA's enrichment of the record

What should I do?

CISA deadline . Apply updates per vendor instructions.

The CVE record links no vendor advisory, patch or mitigation.

Which versions are affected?

Affected

  • 10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems
  • 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems
  • 10 Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems
  • 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems
  • 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
  • 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems

and 26 more in the table below

Versions by product

Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of ; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of ; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of . About the data.

What to do

Required action, set by CISA

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA due date for this action: .

Advisories and patches

The CVE record links no vendor advisory, patch or mitigation.

Linked from CISA's catalog entry

Affected products and versions

As listed in the CVE record.

Microsoft Windows
StatusVersions
Affected10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems
Affected10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems
Affected10 Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems
Affected10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems
Affected10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
Affected10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems
Affected10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems
Affected10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems
Affected10 Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems
Affected10 for 32-bit Systems
Affected10 for x64-based Systems
Affected10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems

And 6 more version entries in the CVE record.

Microsoft Windows Server
StatusVersions
Affectedversion 1803 (Core Installation)
Affected2019
Affected2019 (Core installation)
Affected2016
Affected2016 (Core installation)
Affected2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2
Affected2008 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 2 (Core installation)
Affected2008 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 2
Affected2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2
Affected2008 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 2 (Core installation)
Affected2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1
Affected2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1

And 5 more version entries in the CVE record.

Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1909 for 32-bit Systems
StatusVersions
Affectedunspecified
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1909 for x64-based Systems
StatusVersions
Affectedunspecified
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1909 for ARM64-based Systems
StatusVersions
Affectedunspecified
Microsoft Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation)
StatusVersions
Affectedunspecified
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit Systems
StatusVersions
Affectedunspecified
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for x64-based Systems
StatusVersions
Affectedunspecified
Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for ARM64-based Systems
StatusVersions
Affectedunspecified
Microsoft Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation)
StatusVersions
Affectedunspecified

Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of . About the data.

About this vulnerability

Microsoft Windows BITS is vulnerable to to a privilege elevation vulnerability if it improperly handles symbolic links. An actor can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges.

Summary: CISA's KEV catalog, as of .

  • CISA added CVE-2020-0787 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 28 Jan 2022.
  • CISA marks it as known to be used in ransomware campaigns.
  • The due date CISA sets for the required action is 28 Jul 2022.
  • The CVE record was published on 12 Mar 2020, 687 days before it was added to KEV.
  • The CVE record carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (High), taken from CISA's enrichment of the record.
  • FIRST's EPSS model puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 42.5% (percentile 98.7), as of 28 Oct 2026.
  • CISA's SSVC assessment in the CVE record: exploitation active, automatable no, technical impact total.

Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of ; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of ; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of . About the data.

Description

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'.

Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of . About the data.

Weakness

  • CWE-59: Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
  • CWE-269

CWE and CAPEC are maintained by MITRE; the entries are those named in the CVE record and the KEV entry.

Timeline

DateEvent
CVE record published
Added to CISA KEV
CISA due date for the required action
CVE record last updated

References

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