CVE-2020-0688A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Exchange software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory,…
- 8.8HighCVSS base score
- 100.0%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 0.1% of all CVEs
- YesKnown exploitedin CISA's KEV since 3 Nov 2021
- 3Public exploitsMetasploit, Nuclei and Exploit-DB
Description
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Exchange software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka 'Microsoft Exchange Memory Corruption Vulnerability'.
Exploited in the wild
CISA lists this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog as Microsoft Exchange Server Validation Key Remote Code Execution Vulnerability.
- Added
- 3 Nov 2021
- Fix due (US federal)
- 3 May 2022
- Used by ransomware
- Known
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
ENISA's EU Vulnerability Database lists it as exploited, from CISA's KEV, since 3 Nov 2021.
Public exploit
An exploit or proof of concept is public: anyone can try it against an unpatched system. The public collections list a Metasploit module and 2 Exploit-DB entries for it. CISA's SSVC rates its exploitation: it is being exploited.
Show the exploits3
Metasploit modules1 module
- Exchange Control Panel ViewState Deserialization (Metasploit module) (opens in a new tab)
exploit/windows/http/exchange_ecp_viewstateRank excellentdisclosed 11 Feb 2020
Exploit-DB2 entries
- Exchange Control Panel - Viewstate Deserialization (Metasploit) (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 48168remote, windowspublished 5 Mar 2020Verified
- Microsoft Exchange 2019 15.2.221.12 - Authenticated Remote Code Execution (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 48153remote, windowspublished 2 Mar 2020Not verified
Modules, templates and exploits as listed by the Metasploit Framework (BSD-3-Clause), ProjectDiscovery's Nuclei templates (MIT) and the Exploit Database (GPLv2), read once a day. Where the data comes from
Timeline
ID reserved
By microsoft
- 3 months later
· 3 months later
Published
- 21 months later
· 21 months later
Added to CISA KEV
Known exploited, also by ransomware
- 4 years later
· 4 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA-ADPADP (enrichment) | 3.1 | High8.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | High8.8 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 100.0% · top 0.1% of all CVEs (14 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: active · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 8.8.
Affected products
Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2013
- affected Cumulative Update 23
Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 3
- affected unspecified
Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 14
- affected unspecified
Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 15
- affected unspecified
Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2019 Cumulative Update 4
- affected unspecified
Microsoft · Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 3 Update Rollup 30
- affected unspecified
References
References5
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-0688 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-20-258/ (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156592/Microsoft-Exchange-2019-15.2.221.12-Remote-Code-Execution.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156620/Exchange-Control-Panel-Viewstate-Deserialization.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-0688 (opens in a new tab)government-resource
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- CISA KEV catalog (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2020-2181 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2020-0688)Record last updated .