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CVE-2020-1111: Windows Clipboard Service Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

• Severity: high (CVSS 7.8 v3.1)
• Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
• EPSS: 1.0% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
• Public exploit or detection template: none known
• Published: 2020-05-21 · updated 2026-08-19

Description

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Windows improperly handles calls to Clipboard Service. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code in the security context of the local system. 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 over an affected system. The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Windows handles calls to Clipboard Service.

Affected products

• Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607: 1809, 1903, 1909
• Microsoft Windows Server 2019: 1903, 1909
• Microsoft Windows 10: from 10.0.17763.0 before publication — fixed in publication
• Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit Systems: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
• Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for ARM64-based Systems: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
• Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for x64-based Systems: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
• Microsoft Windows 10 1909: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
• Microsoft Windows Server 2019: from 10.0.17763.0 before publication — fixed in publication
• Microsoft Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation): from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
• Microsoft Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation): from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication

How to fix

Upgrade to a fixed version: Microsoft Windows 10 publication; Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for 32-bit Systems publication; Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for ARM64-based Systems publication; Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1903 for x64-based Systems publication; Microsoft Windows 10 1909 publication; Microsoft Windows Server 2019 publication; Microsoft Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation) publication; Microsoft Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation) publication. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.

References

• https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1111
• https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-1111

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