CVE-2020-16933: Microsoft 365 Apps

High severity, CVSS 7.0. EPSS: 2.7% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

<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>

Affected products

  • Microsoft 365 Apps: affected versions not specified
  • Microsoft Office: version 2016 only; version 2019 only
  • Microsoft Windows 10: affected versions not specified; version 1607 only; version 1709 only; version 1803 only; version 1809 only; version 1903 only; …
  • Microsoft Windows 7: affected versions not specified
  • Microsoft Windows 8.1: affected versions not specified
  • Microsoft Windows Rt 8.1: affected versions not specified
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2008: affected versions not specified; version r2 only
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2012: affected versions not specified; version r2 only
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2016: affected versions not specified; version 1903 only; version 1909 only; version 2004 only
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2019: affected versions not specified
  • Microsoft Word: version 2010 only; version 2013 only; version 2016 only

Published 2020-10-16. Last modified 2026-06-17.