CVE-2020-16940: Microsoft Windows 10

High severity, CVSS 7.8. EPSS: 1.6% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when the Windows User Profile Service (ProfSvc) improperly handles junction points. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could delete files and folders in an elevated context. 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 delete files or folders of their choosing. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how the Windows User Profile Service handles junction points.

Affected products

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

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