CVE-2020-16856
7.8 · HIGHOverview
CVE-2020-16856 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting microsoft visual_studio. It was published on September 11, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical Description
<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Visual Studio when it improperly handles objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could run arbitrary code in the context of the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take control of the affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.</p>
<p>To exploit the vulnerability, an attacker would have to convince a user to open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Visual Studio.</p>
<p>The update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Visual Studio handles objects in memory.</p>
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from microsoft. Update visual_studio to the latest patched version. 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.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| microsoft | visual_studio_2017 | 15.0 | Affected |
| microsoft | visual_studio_2019 | 16.0 | Affected |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2020-16856?
CVE-2020-16856 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting microsoft visual_studio. It was published on September 11, 2020 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH).
How severe is CVE-2020-16856?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated HIGH. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2020-16856?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from microsoft. Update visual_studio to the latest patched version. 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-2020-16856?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2020-16856 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
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