HighCVE-2020-0738

Microsoft Windows: Memory Corruption (CVE-2020-0738)

Published 11.02.2020Sources: SingCERT, CVE.org

What is affected, what to do

A memory corruption vulnerability exists when Windows Media Foundation improperly handles objects in memory, aka 'Media Foundation Memory Corruption Vulnerability'.

The available sources name no fixed version. Check the vendor guidance in the references below.

Affected: Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems..10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems..10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems..10 Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems..10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems..10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems..10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems..10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems..10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems..10 Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 for 32-bit Systems..10 for 32-bit Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 for x64-based Systems..10 for x64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems..10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems..10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems
Microsoft Windows eq 7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1..7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1
Microsoft Windows eq 7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1..7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
Microsoft Windows eq 8.1 for 32-bit systems..8.1 for 32-bit systems
Microsoft Windows eq 8.1 for x64-based systems..8.1 for x64-based systems
Microsoft Windows eq RT 8.1..RT 8.1
Microsoft Windows Server eq version 1803 (Core Installation)..version 1803 (Core Installation)
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2019..2019
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2019 (Core installation)..2019 (Core installation)
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2016..2016
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2016 (Core installation)..2016 (Core installation)
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1..2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1..2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Core installation)..2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Core installation)
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2012..2012
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2012 (Core installation)..2012 (Core installation)
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2012 R2..2012 R2
Microsoft Windows Server eq 2012 R2 (Core installation)..2012 R2 (Core installation)

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Metrics

8.8

Priority

XIEM Effective CVSS: highest available CVSS rating from NVD and vendor data.

Source: NVD, CVSS v3

8.8

CVSS v3

Severity High on the scale from 0 to 10.

Source: SingCERT, CVE.org

6.2 %

EPSS score

Moderate — model estimates 1-10% exploitation likelihood.

Source: FIRST EPSS, percentile 93.4

Show all metrics

Severity: High
Priority (0–325) The priority score is a consolidated metric that condenses several individual signals into a single, action-guiding ranking: technical severity (CVSS), exploitation likelihood (EPSS), known-exploited status (KEV) and the context of the affected asset. The aim is to answer the only truly important question in vulnerability management: what first? Read in glossary: 113.83 Methodology
Exploit maturity An exploit is code or a technique that specifically uses a concrete vulnerability to force unintended behaviour — such as executing code or escalating privileges. It is the tool that turns a theoretical flaw into a practical attack. Read in glossary: no public PoC known
XIEM Effective CVSS XIEM® is the tiered managed-security operating model from NEOSEC and a registered trademark of NEOSEC GmbH. It extends classic SIEM — the central collection, normalisation and correlation of security-relevant events — with endpoint forensics, network visibility and deception technology, and consolidates them into three building tiers: Sentry, Orchestrate and Command. Read in glossary: 8.8 Methodology
CVSS v3 CVSS is the globally established, open standard for assessing the technical severity of a vulnerability on a scale from 0 to 10. It describes how easily a flaw can be exploited and what damage it can cause — but not how likely its actual exploitation is. CVSS and the complementary EPSS deliberately answer different questions. Read in glossary: 8.8
EPSS score The EPSS score is the absolute model output for an individual vulnerability: the estimated probability of real-world exploitation within the next 30 days, expressed as a value between 0 and 1 (i.e. 0 % to 100 %). A score of 0.42 means „the model estimates a 42 % chance of real-world exploitation within 30 days“. Read in glossary: 6.2 %; Moderate — model estimates 1-10% exploitation likelihood.
EPSS percentile The EPSS percentile is the relative position of a vulnerability within all EPSS-scored CVEs, expressed as a value between 0 and 1. A percentile of 0.90 means „this CVE has a higher EPSS score than 90 % of all other scored CVEs“. Unlike the EPSS score, it is not a probability — but a positioning within a ranking. Read in glossary: 93.4; Critical — this CVE ranks in the top fifth of all CVEs scored today (rank ≥ 80%).
KEV status The KEV catalogue is a list maintained by the US authority CISA of vulnerabilities for which active exploitation in the wild has been confirmed. It answers not the question „how severe?“ but „is it already being attacked?“ — thereby sharply prioritising patching. Read in glossary: —
Published: 11.02.2020

Detection rules

No NEOSEC detection rule is available for this vulnerability yet.

Classification under NIS2 and CRA

Rule-based classification from exploitation status and severity. It does not replace a case-by-case assessment.

NIS2 NIS2 is EU Directive (EU) 2022/2555 to raise the level of cybersecurity across the Union. It substantially broadens obligations compared with the first NIS directive: more sectors, mandatory risk management, staged reporting duties and personal accountability of senior management. Read in glossary: High technical severity: assess and remediate the vulnerability in vulnerability handling under Art. 21(2)(e) NIS2 and document the decision.
CRA The CRA is EU Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 setting horizontal cybersecurity requirements for „products with digital elements“ — from industrial controllers and software to connected consumer devices. For the first time manufacturers must ensure security across the entire product lifecycle, handle vulnerabilities and provide security updates. Read in glossary: From 11.12.2027, Annex I Part II CRA requires manufacturers of affected products with digital elements to handle vulnerabilities without delay and provide security updates.
ISO/IEC 27001 ISO/IEC 27001 is the internationally leading standard for an information security management system (ISMS). It describes a risk-based, process-oriented framework to systematically plan, implement, review and improve information security. Read in glossary: Control A.8.8, management of technical vulnerabilities: assess relevance to your systems, plan remediation and keep evidence.

Description

A memory corruption vulnerability exists when Windows Media Foundation improperly handles objects in memory, aka 'Media Foundation Memory Corruption Vulnerability'.

Source: CSA/SingCERT, NVD (NIST), cvelistv5

Affected products

The following versions are affected. Older releases of the same product line are also vulnerable unless stated otherwise.

Affected products
		Affected versions	Fixed in
Microsoft	Windows	`10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems` `10 Version 1709 for ARM64-based Systems` `RT 8.1` `10 Version 1809 for ARM64-based Systems` `10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems` `10 for 32-bit Systems` `8.1 for 32-bit systems` `10 for x64-based Systems` `10 Version 1803 for 32-bit Systems` `10 Version 1607 for 32-bit Systems` `7 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1` `10 Version 1607 for x64-based Systems` `7 for 32-bit Systems Service Pack 1` `10 Version 1809 for x64-based Systems` `10 Version 1809 for 32-bit Systems` `8.1 for x64-based systems` `10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems` `10 Version 1803 for ARM64-based Systems`	— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Microsoft	Windows Server	`2012 R2` `2019` `2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1` `2012 (Core installation)` `2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems Service Pack 1` `2012` `2012 R2 (Core installation)` `2019 (Core installation)` `2008 R2 for x64-based Systems Service Pack 1 (Core installation)` `2016 (Core installation)` `2016` `version 1803 (Core Installation)`	— — — — — — — — — — — —

Vendors and products

Affected operating systems

Affected operating systems

Windows	microsoft	windows_10	`1607`
Windows	microsoft	windows_10	`1709`
Windows	microsoft	windows_10	`1803`
Windows	microsoft	windows_10	`1809`
Windows	microsoft	windows_10	`1903`
Windows	microsoft	windows_10	`1909`
Windows	microsoft	windows_10	—
Windows	microsoft	windows_7	—
Windows	microsoft	windows_8.1	—
Windows	microsoft	windows_rt_8.1	—
Windows	microsoft	windows_server_2008	`r2`
Windows	microsoft	windows_server_2012	`r2`
Windows	microsoft	windows_server_2012	—
Windows	microsoft	windows_server_2016	`1803`
Windows	microsoft	windows_server_2016	`1903`
Windows	microsoft	windows_server_2016	`1909`
Windows	microsoft	windows_server_2016	—
Windows	microsoft	windows_server_2019	—

References & sources

portal.msrc.microsoft.comen-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-0738x_refsource_MISC, Patch, Vendor advisory

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<a href="https://intel.neosec.eu/en/cve/CVE-2020-0738"><img src="https://intel.neosec.eu/badge/cve/CVE-2020-0738.svg?lang=en" alt="CVE-2020-0738 – NEOSEC Intel" height="20"></a>