An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context.
\nTo exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and delete files or folders of their choosing.
\nThe security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles junction points.
","cvss_v4":null,"cvss_v3":{"version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","score":7.8},"cwes":["CWE-269"],"references":["https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16940","https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1248/","https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16940","https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-1248/"],"products":["microsoft:windows_10","microsoft:windows_7","microsoft:windows_8.1","microsoft:windows_rt_8.1","microsoft:windows_server_2008","microsoft:windows_server_2012","microsoft:windows_server_2016","microsoft:windows_server_2019"],"source":"nvd","synced_at":"2026-10-19T21:09:53.489947993+00:00"},"epss":{"cve":"CVE-2020-16940","score":0.01553,"percentile":0.75135,"date":"2026-10-31"},"kev":null,"osv":[],"attribution":["This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.","EPSS scores: FIRST Exploit Prediction Scoring System, https://www.first.org/epss","Known exploited vulnerabilities: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","Package advisories: OSV (https://osv.dev), from the GitHub Advisory Database, PyPA, Go, RustSec and other ecosystem databases, under CC-BY 4.0 or CC0","CVE records: the CVE Program's CVE List (https://www.cve.org), under its terms of use (https://www.cve.org/Legal/TermsOfUse). CVE is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation; this product is not affiliated with the CVE Program."]}