What’s Vulnerable › Vulnerabilities
CVE-2020-16911: GDI+ Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
- Severity: critical (CVSS 9.3 v2.0)
- Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
- EPSS: 4.5% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
- Public exploit or detection template: none known
- Published: 2020-10-16 · updated 2026-06-17
Description
<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI) handles objects in the memory. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take control of the affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.</p> <p>There are multiple ways an attacker could exploit the vulnerability:</p> <ul> <li>In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a specially crafted website that is designed to exploit the vulnerability and then convince users to view the website. An attacker would have no way to force users to view the attacker-controlled content. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to take action, typically by getting them to open an email attachment or click a link in an email or instant message.</li> <li>In a file-sharing attack scenario, an attacker could provide a specially crafted document file that is designed to exploit the vulnerability, and then convince users to open the document file.</li> </ul> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting the way that the Windows GDI handles objects in the memory.</p>
Affected products
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1607: 1607, 1709, 1803, 1809, 1903, 1909 (+1)
- Microsoft Windows 7: all versions
- Microsoft Windows 8.1: all versions
- Microsoft Windows RT 8.1: all versions
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012: r2
- Microsoft Windows Server 2016: 1903, 1909, 2004
- Microsoft Windows Server 2019: all versions
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
- Microsoft Windows 10 1607: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
- Microsoft Windows 10 1709: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
- Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
- Microsoft Windows 10 1803: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
- Microsoft Windows 10: from 10.0.0 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 10 2004: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
- Microsoft Windows 8.1: from 6.3.0 before publication — fixed in publication
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012: from 6.2.0 before publication — fixed in publication
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2: from 6.3.0 before publication — fixed in publication
- Microsoft Windows Server 2016: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
- Microsoft Windows Server 2019: from 10.0.0 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
- Microsoft Windows Server version 2004: from 10.0.0 before publication — fixed in publication
How to fix
Upgrade to a fixed version: Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1507 publication; Microsoft Windows 10 1607 publication; Microsoft Windows 10 1709 publication; Microsoft Windows 10 Version 1709 for 32-bit Systems publication; Microsoft Windows 10 1803 publication; 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 10 2004 publication; Microsoft Windows 8.1 publication. Check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
References
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16911
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-16911
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