# CVE-2020-0986: Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2020-0986-microsoft-windows-kernel-privilege-escalation-vulnerability  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2021-11-03. Updated: 2026-05-10  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2020-0986 · Severity: critical · CVSS 7.8 · Exploited in the wild · Published 2021-11-03

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the Microsoft Windows kernel due to improper handling of objects in memory. A local attacker can exploit this to execute code in kernel mode and gain elevated privileges on the system.

Technologies: [Microsoft Windows](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/windows). Vendors: [Microsoft](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/microsoft).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2020-0986 exploited in the wild?** Yes. CVE-2020-0986 is known to be exploited in the wild, first recorded on 3 November 2021. Treat it as urgent.

**How severe is CVE-2020-0986?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 3 November 2021.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Microsoft Windows 10; Microsoft Windows 8.1; Microsoft Windows RT 8.1; Microsoft Windows Server 2012; and 6 more.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2020-0986?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2020-0986 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in an operating system.

**Am I affected by CVE-2020-0986?** Check whether you run Microsoft Windows. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Affected products

- Microsoft Windows 10
- Microsoft Windows 8.1
- Microsoft Windows RT 8.1
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012
- Microsoft Windows Server 2016
- Microsoft Windows Server 2019
- Microsoft Windows Server 1803
- Microsoft Windows Server 1903
- Microsoft Windows Server 1909
- Microsoft Windows Server 2004

## Timeline

- 2021-11-03: kev added: Added to CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog
- 2021-11-03: disclosed

## Related threats

- [Windows BitLocker heap buffer overflow with physical attack](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97015-heap-based-buffer-overflow-in-windows-bitlocker-allows-an)
- [Microsoft Windows Shell type confusion privilege elevation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97013-access-of-resource-using-incompatible-type-type-confusion-in)
- [Microsoft Windows VMSwitch out-of-bounds read privilege escalation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97002-out-of-bounds-read-in-windows-vmswitch-allows-an-authorized)
- [Microsoft Windows USM Communication Manager null pointer dereference](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-97000-null-pointer-dereference-in-windows-usm-communication-manager)
- [Microsoft Windows Winsock use after free privilege escalation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-96994-use-after-free-in-winsock-allows-an-authorized-attacker-to)