What it is
CVE-2020-1054 is Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507 and 30 other products. An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Windows kernel-mode...
Vulnerability report
Exploited in the wild
Confirmed confidence
In CISA KEV
CVE-2020-1054
Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Microsoft / Windows 10 Version 1507 · affected before publication
- Severity
- CVSS 7.0 · High
- Confidence
- Confirmed
- Exploit status
- Exploited in the wild
- EPSS
- 54.2%
- First observed
- —
- Last observed
- —
Decision summary
What security teams need to know first
Direct answers before the deeper technical record.
Is it exploited?
Yes. Previdian tracks this CVE as a known exploited vulnerability. Confidence is confirmed.
Who is affected?
Microsoft / Windows 10 Version 1507 affected before publication.
What should we do?
Prioritize remediation. Validate affected assets and apply vendor fixes on an accelerated timeline.
Overview
Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in Windows when the Windows kernel-mode driver fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in kernel mode. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.
To 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 take control of an affected system. The update addresses this vulnerability by correcting how the Windows kernel-mode driver handles objects in memory.
Vendor
Product
Affected
Status
Microsoft
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)
Before publication
Affected
Microsoft
Windows Server, version 1803 (Server Core Installation)
Before publication
Affected
Microsoft
Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation)
Before publication
Affected
Microsoft
Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation)
Before publication
Affected
- Published
- 21 May 2020
- Exploitation Reported
- 03 Nov 2021
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
Tags
metasploit
cisa
windows
microsoft
CVE References
- CVE Record CVE.org · CVE Record https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-1054
- Win32k Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability msrc.microsoft.com · Vendor Advisory https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1054
Exploitation evidence
Why Previdian marks this CVE as exploited
Third-party attestation and first-party sensor observation are shown separately so teams can judge the evidence chain.
Exploited in the wild
CISA
Independent exploitation attestation added to the Previdian record.
Proof of concept available
GitHub
Public scanner or PoC coverage increases practical exploitability.
Known exploited vulnerability sources
Per-source evidence links for KEV attestations are available through the Previdian Pro API.
Learn about Pro API access| Source | Added |
|---|---|
| CISA First | 2021-11-03 00:00 UTC |
| CVE | 2026-08-19 16:40 UTC |
Detection
Operational artifacts and observed signals
Make the evidence actionable in scanner, SOC, and edge-control workflows.
Observed signals
- Request targets
- 0
- User-Agents
- 0
Raw values available in Pro and Enterprise.
Scanner coverage
Metasploit template detected 28 Apr 2025.
View Metasploit template (opens in new tab)Virtual patch status
No Previdian virtual patch is currently available. Future rules ship for ModSecurity, Cloudflare, and AWS WAF.
Learn about virtual patches →Scanner Artifacts
Scanner and exploit-framework references linked to this CVE.
| Scanner | Reference | Detected |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit | https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/windows/local/cve_2020_1054_drawiconex_lpe.rb | 28 Apr 2025 |
Risk and context
Severity, weaknesses, and research context
CVSS v3.1
7.0
High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C
EPSS
54.2%
Weaknesses
All CVSS Scores
CVSS v3.1
7.0
High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C
CVSS v2.0
7.2
High
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Potential Proof of Concepts
These PoCs are unverified and could contain malware. Use at your own risk.
Timeline
From disclosure to observed exploitation
-
KEV confirmed by CVE
Exploitation attested by an external source
-
Metasploit module available
Exploit module available
-
Public PoC available
Public proof-of-concept code published
-
Added to CISA KEV
Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
-
CVE published
Vulnerability disclosed publicly
-
CVE ID reserved
Identifier reserved by the CNA
Pro API
Automate this intelligence
Confidence, exploit status, sensor telemetry, PoCs, scanner integrations, mentions, and tags are available programmatically for VM, SOC, and CTI workflows.
- Evidence confidence and provenance
- First-party sensor telemetry
- PoC and scanner references
- Affected versions and enrichment
- Automation-ready JSON delivery
GET /api/v2/pro/kevs/CVE-2020-1054
Free JSON includes basic KEV fields{
"cve_id": "CVE-2020-1054",
"confidence": "Confirmed",
"cvss_score": 7.0,
"cvss_estimated": false,
"epss_score": 0.54158,
"exploit_status": {
"exploited_in_the_wild": true,
"active_exploitation_observed": false
},
"sensor_telemetry": { "attempts": 0, "sensors": 0 }
}Early warning alerts
Get alerts on high-impact exploitation
Receive curator-selected alerts when exploitation activity warrants attention. Each alert includes the evidence and context needed to decide what requires attention now.