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    CVE-2020-16933

    <p>A security feature bypass vulnerability exists in Microsoft Word software when it fails to properly handle .LNK files. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could use a specially crafted file to perform actions in the security context of the current user. For example, the file could then take actions on behalf of the logged-on user with the same permissions as the current user.</p> <p>To exploit the vulnerability, a user must open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Microsoft Word software. In an email attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending the specially crafted file to the user and convincing the user to open the file. In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a website (or leverage a compromised website that accepts or hosts user-provided content) that contains a specially crafted file that is designed to exploit the vulnerability. However, an attacker would have no way to force the user to visit the website. Instead, an attacker would have to convince the user to click a link, typically by way of an enticement in an email or Instant Messenger message, and then convince the user to open the specially crafted file.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Word handles these files.</p>

    Published:Oct 16, 2020
    Last Modified:Feb 23, 2026
    EPS:Oct 16, 2020
    EPSS Score:0.04404
    CVSS Score:7

    Affected Products

    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    365 Apps
    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    Office
    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    Windows 10
    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    Windows 7
    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    Windows 8.1
    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    Windows Rt 8.1
    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    Windows Server 2008
    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    Windows Server 2012
    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    Windows Server 2016
    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    Windows Server 2019
    Vendor
    Microsoft
    Product
    Word

    Exploits

    No exploit reference

    Common Weakness Enumeration

    No CWE recorded yet

    Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

    No CAPEC recorded yet

    Related CVEs

    Common Vulnerability Scoring System

    Attack Vector
    Network
    Adjacent
    Local
    Physical
    Privileges Required
    None
    Low
    High
    User Interaction
    None
    Required
    Scope
    Unchanged
    Changed
    Confidentiality
    None
    Low
    High
    Integrity
    None
    Low
    High
    Availability
    None
    Low
    High