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CVE-2020-1096

4.2 · MEDIUM

A remote code execution vulnerability exists when Microsoft Edge PDF Reader improperly handles objects in memory.

Published May 21, 2020EPSS 2.05%

Overview

CVE-2020-1096 is a medium-severity vulnerability. It was published on May 21, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.2 (MEDIUM).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.2, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

Technical description

A remote code execution vulnerability exists when Microsoft Edge PDF Reader improperly handles objects in memory. The vulnerability could corrupt memory in such a way that enables an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.

To exploit the vulnerability, in a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a website that contains malicious PDF content. In addition, compromised websites and websites that accept or host user-provided content could contain specially crafted PDF content that could exploit the vulnerability. However, in all cases an attacker would have no way to force a user to view the attacker-control

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-1096?

CVE-2020-1096 is a medium-severity vulnerability. It was published on May 21, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.2 (MEDIUM).

How severe is CVE-2020-1096?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.2, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2020-1096?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.

How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2020-1096?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2020-1096 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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