CVE-2020-0638: Technical Deep-Dive (Auto Refreshed)

Generated on 2026-03-30T16:01:44.870Z. This file is automatically regenerated every 30 minutes by the CVE AI enrichment job using web sources (NVD, MITRE, CISA KEV, GitHub).

Executive Technical Summary

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way the Update Notification Manager handles files.To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to gain execution on the victim system, aka 'Update Notification Manager Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.

• Context preserved from previous revision: An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way the Update Notification Manager handles files.To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to gain execution on the victim system, aka 'Update Notification Manager Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'. Notes: TOP All bugbounty pentesting CVE-2023- POC Exp RCE example payload Things

Technical Details

• CVE: CVE-2020-0638
• KEV date added: 2022-05-23
• KEV due date: 2022-06-13
• NVD published: 2020-01-15
• NVD modified: 2025-10-29
• MITRE modified: 2025-10-21
• CVSS base score: 7.8
• CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
• CVSS exploitability score: 1.8
• CVSS impact score: 5.9
• Attack vector: Local
• Attack complexity: Low
• Privileges required: Low
• User interaction: None
• Scope: Unchanged
• Confidentiality impact: High
• Integrity impact: High
• Availability impact: High

Versions and Products Impacted

• microsoft / windows 10 1709
• microsoft / windows 10 1803
• microsoft / windows 10 1809
• microsoft / windows 10 1903
• microsoft / windows 10 1909
• microsoft / windows server 1803
• microsoft / windows server 1903
• microsoft / windows server 1909
• microsoft / windows server 2019
• Microsoft / Windows (versions: 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems, 10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems, 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems, 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems, 10 Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems, 10 Version 1709 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)
• Microsoft / Windows 10 Version 1903 for ARM64-based Systems (versions: unspecified)
• Microsoft / Windows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit Systems (versions: unspecified)
• Microsoft / Windows 10 Version 1903 for x64-based Systems (versions: unspecified)
• Microsoft / Windows Server (versions: 2019, 2019 (Core installation), version 1803 (Core Installation))
• Microsoft / Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation) (versions: unspecified)
• Microsoft / Windows 10 Version 1909 for 32-bit Systems (versions: unspecified)
• Microsoft / Windows 10 Version 1909 for x64-based Systems (versions: unspecified)
• Microsoft / Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation) (versions: unspecified)
• Microsoft / Windows 10 Version 1909 for ARM64-based Systems (versions: unspecified)

Weakness Classification

• NVD-CWE-noinfo
• CWE-59
• Elevation of Privilege

Repositories for Lab Validation (Public Examples)

• GhostTroops/TOP | stars: 721 | updated: 2026-03-30 | https://github.com/GhostTroops/TOP
  Notes: TOP All bugbounty pentesting CVE-2023- POC Exp RCE example payload Things
• Ostorlab/KEV | stars: 608 | updated: 2026-03-23 | https://github.com/Ostorlab/KEV
  Notes: Ostorlab KEV: One-command to detect most remotely known exploitable vulnerabilities. Sourced from CISA KEV, Google's Tsunami, Ostorlab's Asteroid and Bug Bounty programs.
• CVEDB/awesome-cve-repo | stars: 9 | updated: 2026-03-10 | https://github.com/CVEDB/awesome-cve-repo

People and Organizations Mentioned

• microsoft
• Update Notification Manager
• GhostTroops
• Ostorlab
• CVEDB

Practical Defensive Validation (Authorized Only)

1. Use only isolated environments and systems you own or are explicitly authorized to test.
2. Snapshot infrastructure before validation and preserve baseline logs (EDR, SIEM, OS, app).
3. Create low-privilege users on microsoft / windows 10 1709 and validate that patching blocks unauthorized admin-level actions.
4. Compare token/privilege transitions in Windows Event Logs before and after remediation.
5. Tune detections for unusual group membership changes and SYSTEM-level process launches from user sessions.

References

• NVD record: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-0638
• MITRE CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-0638
• CISA KEV Catalog: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog
• CISA KEV JSON feed: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json
• KEV notes: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-0638
• https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-0638
• https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-0638
• Repository example: https://github.com/GhostTroops/TOP
• Repository example: https://github.com/Ostorlab/KEV
• Repository example: https://github.com/CVEDB/awesome-cve-repo

This content is for defensive security training and authorized validation only.