CVE-2020-0986: Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
- Is it exploited?
Yes. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 3 Nov 2021, 512 days after the CVE record was published.
- How likely is exploitation in the next 30 days?
- 16.4%
EPSS score, percentile 97 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 3 May 2022. 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 27 more in the table below
Source: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, 2026.10.28, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of 28 Oct 2026; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
What to do
Required action, set by CISA
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
CISA due date for this action: 3 May 2022.
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.
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | 10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems |
| Affected | 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems |
| Affected | 10 Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems |
| Affected | 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems |
| Affected | 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems |
| Affected | 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems |
| Affected | 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems |
| Affected | 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems |
| Affected | 10 Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems |
| Affected | 10 for 32-bit Systems |
| Affected | 10 for x64-based Systems |
| Affected | 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems |
And 4 more version entries in the CVE record.
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | version 1803 (Core Installation) |
| Affected | 2019 |
| Affected | 2019 (Core installation) |
| Affected | 2016 |
| Affected | 2016 (Core installation) |
| Affected | 2012 |
| Affected | 2012 (Core installation) |
| Affected | 2012 R2 |
| Affected | 2012 R2 (Core installation) |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
| Status | Versions |
|---|---|
| Affected | unspecified |
Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
About this vulnerability
Microsoft Windows kernel contains an unspecified vulnerability when handling objects in memory that allows attackers to escalate privileges and execute code in kernel mode.
Summary: CISA's KEV catalog, as of 28 Oct 2026.
- CISA added CVE-2020-0986 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 3 Nov 2021.
- CISA's ransomware flag for this entry is "Unknown": no evidence of ransomware use in the catalog, which is not proof of none.
- The due date CISA sets for the required action is 3 May 2022.
- The CVE record was published on 9 Jun 2020, 512 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 16.4% (percentile 97), 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 28 Oct 2026; CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026; FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS), v2026.06.15, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
Description
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows kernel fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka 'Windows Kernel Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2020-1237, CVE-2020-1246, CVE-2020-1262, CVE-2020-1264, CVE-2020-1266, CVE-2020-1269, CVE-2020-1273, CVE-2020-1274, CVE-2020-1275, CVE-2020-1276, CVE-2020-1307, CVE-2020-1316.
Source: CVE List V5 (CVE Program), cve_2026-10-28_0000Z, as of 28 Oct 2026. About the data.
Weakness
- CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write
CWE and CAPEC are maintained by MITRE; the entries are those named in the CVE record and the KEV entry.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 9 Jun 2020 | CVE record published |
| 3 Nov 2021 | Added to CISA KEV |
| 3 May 2022 | CISA due date for the required action |
| 21 Oct 2025 | CVE record last updated |
References
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