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CVE-2020-1472

From Exploited flaws, HARD’s guide to the flaws being used in attacks · Checked
This article is about a flaw in Microsoft Netlogon. For every flaw being used in attacks, see Exploited flaws; for Microsoft’s, see Microsoft flaws being used in attacks.

CVE-2020-1472 is a security flaw in Microsoft Netlogon. Attackers can use Microsoft Netlogon to take full control of the machine from anywhere, without logging in. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 3 Nov 2021, and says ransomware gangs have used it.[1]

Microsoft Netlogon is business software or equipment. Most families won’t have it, but attackers break into it to get inside companies, and from there to what those companies hold about their customers, patients and staff. Fixed in version publication.

Description

CISA calls it a privilege escalation in Microsoft Netlogon. In its words: “Microsoft's Netlogon Remote Protocol (MS-NRPC) contains a privilege escalation vulnerability when an attacker establishes a vulnerable Netlogon secure channel connection to a domain controller. An attacker who successfully exploits the vulnerability could run a specially crafted application on a device on the network. The vulnerability is also known under the moniker of Zerologon.”[1]

The CVE record adds: “An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when an attacker establishes a vulnerable Netlogon secure channel connection to a domain controller, using the Netlogon Remote Protocol (MS-NRPC). An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could run a specially crafted application on a device on the network. To exploit the vulnerability, an unauthenticated attacker would be required to use MS-NRPC to connect to a domain controller to obtain domain administrator access. Microsoft is addressing the vulnerability in a phased two-part rollout. These updates address the vulnerability by modifying how Netlogon handles the usage of Netlogon secure channels. For guidelines on how to manage the changes required for this vulnerability and more information on the phased rollout, see How to manage the changes in Netlogon secure channel connections associated with…”[2]

The underlying weakness is CWE-330, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.

It scores 5.5 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it medium, scored by the organisation that published the CVE using CVSS 3.1.[2]

Affected versions

NVD’s record lists these fixed versions: in each line, everything before the version shown is affected.[2]

ProductFixed in
Windows Server version 2004publication
Windows Server 2019publication
Windows Server 2019 (Server Core installation)publication
Windows Server, version 1909 (Server Core installation)publication
Windows Server, version 1903 (Server Core installation)publication
Windows Server 2016publication
Windows Server 2016 (Server Core installation)publication
Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1publication

Most families won’t have Microsoft Netlogon; it’s for whoever looks after IT at work.

Exploitation

CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 3 Nov 2021, 443 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.[1] CISA says ransomware gangs have used it.

FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 99%. That’s in the top 1% of the flaws it scores.[4]

CISA assesses it as automatable: attackers can run it against many targets at once.

CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.

Fix

Microsoft has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]

  1. Check whether you use it.Microsoft Netlogon is business software or equipment, so most families won’t have it. If you run a business, or work from home on company equipment, ask whoever looks after your IT.
  2. Send this page to your IT person.Ask them to confirm it’s fixed (fixed in version publication), or not in use. CISA gave US government agencies until 3 May 2022 to fix it.
  3. If it can’t be fixed, take it offline.CISA’s advice when there’s no fix is to stop using the product, or take it off the internet, until there is one.

You can’t fix someone else’s server, but you can watch for what follows a break-in like this: a breach notice, a password reset you didn’t ask for, or a scam message that knows things it shouldn’t. HARD watches for those for you and your family.

Timeline

DateEvent
The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 5.5.[2]
CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks, noting that ransomware gangs have used it.[1]
CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1]
FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 99%.[4]

See also

Other Microsoft flaws

  • CVE-2026-96951, Microsoft Windows: command injection ·
  • CVE-2026-65660, Microsoft SharePoint: code injection ·
  • CVE-2026-85880, Microsoft Windows: heap-based buffer overflow ·
  • CVE-2026-81963, Microsoft Windows: link following ·
  • CVE-2019-1068, Microsoft SQL Server: remote code execution ·

Added the same day

  • CVE-2021-42258, BQE BillQuick Web Suite: SQL injection ·
  • CVE-2021-42013, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
  • CVE-2021-41773, Apache HTTP Server: path traversal ·
  • CVE-2021-40539, Zoho ManageEngine: aDSelfService plus authentication bypass ·
  • CVE-2021-40444, Microsoft MSHTML: remote code execution ·

Every Microsoft flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in November 2021

References

  1. ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Microsoft Netlogon Privilege Escalation Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 3 Nov 2021.
  2. ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2020-1472 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 17 Aug 2020.
  3. ^ Microsoft. Advisories and fixes: portal.msrc.microsoft.com, oracle.com.
  4. ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.994, percentile 99.9, 31 Oct 2026.
  5. CVE Program. “CVE-2020-1472”. The official CVE record.

This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.