CVE-2020-1581 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2020-1581, an elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Office Click-to-Run components, affecting various Microsoft Office versions. Find mitigation steps and prevention measures.
This CVE involves an elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Office Click-to-Run affecting various Microsoft Office versions.
Understanding CVE-2020-1581
What is CVE-2020-1581?
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in Microsoft Office Click-to-Run components could allow an attacker to elevate privileges by exploiting how objects are handled in memory.
The Impact of CVE-2020-1581
- The vulnerability could enable an attacker to execute code on the system with escalated privileges.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-1581
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability arises from how Microsoft Office Click-to-Run components handle objects in memory, providing a gateway for privilege escalation.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Microsoft Office 2013 Click-to-Run (C2R) versions 15.0.0.0 to less than 15.0.5571.1000 on 32-bit and x64-based Systems.
- Microsoft Office 2019 and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise are also affected.
Exploitation Mechanism
- An attacker can exploit the vulnerability by executing a specially crafted application on the system.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply the security update provided by Microsoft to address the vulnerability.
- Regularly update Microsoft Office applications to mitigate risks.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Implement strict application control to prevent unauthorized software execution.
- Maintain least privilege access to limit the impact of potential attacks.
Patching and Updates
- Monitor and install security updates for Microsoft Office to stay protected.