CVE-2020-0638
Published 2020-01-14 · Updated 2026-08-12 · Source secure@microsoft.com
Summary
CVE-2020-0638 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.8) vulnerability in Microsoft Update Notification Manager. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on May 23, 2022, which means exploitation in the wild has been confirmed; US federal agencies had to remediate it by June 13, 2022. CISA also lists it as known to be used in ransomware campaigns, so it should be prioritised accordingly. Microsoft has 390 vulnerabilities in the KEV catalog, 117 of them linked to ransomware.
All 390 known-exploited Microsoft vulnerabilities →Description
An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way the Update Notification Manager handles files.To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to gain execution on the victim system, aka 'Update Notification Manager Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability'.
CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CISA Known-Exploited Vulnerability
Product: Microsoft — Update Notification Manager
Name: Microsoft Update Notification Manager Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Date added: 2022-05-23 · Due: 2022-06-13
Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.