CVE-2020-1551 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Windows Backup Engine Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability was published by Microsoft on August 11, 2020. This CVE affects various versions of Windows with an elevation of privilege vulnerability.

Understanding CVE-2020-1551

This CVE involves an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Backup Engine, affecting numerous Windows versions. The impact is classified as 'High', with a CVSS base score of 7.8.

What is CVE-2020-1551?

An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Backup Engine due to improper handling of memory.

The Impact of CVE-2020-1551

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to run a specially crafted application and elevate privileges.
Requires prior execution on the victim system.
The security update corrects the memory handling in Windows Backup Engine.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-1551

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability exists due to the improper handling of memory in the Windows Backup Engine.

Affected Systems and Versions

Windows 7, 8.1, and various versions of Windows 10 are affected.
Specifies affected platform architectures: 32-bit, x64-based, and ARM64-based Systems.

Exploitation Mechanism

The attacker needs execution on the victim's system to exploit the vulnerability, running a specially crafted application to elevate privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to resolve and prevent potential security issues.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the security update provided by Microsoft to address the vulnerability.
Regularly update systems with the latest patches and security updates.
Implement the principle of least privilege to limit potential damage from privilege escalation attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments.
Educate users on security best practices and potential threats.
Monitor system logs and behavior for unusual activities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure systems are regularly updated with the latest security patches.