{"cveID":"CVE-2020-0688","vendorProject":"Microsoft","product":"Exchange Server","vulnerabilityName":"Microsoft Exchange Server Validation Key Remote Code Execution Vulnerability","dateAdded":"2021-11-03","shortDescription":"Microsoft Exchange Server Validation Key fails to properly create unique keys at install time, allowing for remote code execution.","requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","dueDate":"2022-05-03","knownRansomwareCampaignUse":"Known","notes":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-0688","cwes":["CWE-287"],"year":2020,"state":"mapped","stale_reasons":[],"mappings":[{"domain":"enterprise","cve":"CVE-2020-0688","technique":"T1190","technique_name_at_mapping":"Exploit Public-Facing Application","mapping_type":"exploitation_technique","capability_group":"code_execution","comments":"CVE-2020-0688 is a RCE vulnerability exists in Microsoft Exchange software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory. A nation-state APT actor has been observed exploiting this vulnerability to conduct widespread, distributed, and anonymized brute force access attempts against hundreds of government and private sector targets worldwide.","references":["https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa21-209a","https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa21-209a"],"status":"complete","source_file":"kev-07.28.2025_attack-16.1-enterprise.json","attack_version":"16.1","kev_snapshot":"07/28/2025"},{"domain":"enterprise","cve":"CVE-2020-0688","technique":"T1110","technique_name_at_mapping":"Brute Force","mapping_type":"primary_impact","capability_group":"code_execution","comments":"CVE-2020-0688 is a RCE vulnerability exists in Microsoft Exchange software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory. A nation-state APT actor has been observed exploiting this vulnerability to conduct widespread, distributed, and anonymized brute force access attempts against hundreds of government and private sector targets worldwide.","references":["https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa21-209a","https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa21-209a"],"status":"complete","source_file":"kev-07.28.2025_attack-16.1-enterprise.json","attack_version":"16.1","kev_snapshot":"07/28/2025"},{"domain":"enterprise","cve":"CVE-2020-0688","technique":"T1114","technique_name_at_mapping":"Email Collection","mapping_type":"primary_impact","capability_group":"code_execution","comments":"CVE-2020-0688 is a remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Exchange Server. CISA has observed the actors exploiting CVE-2020-0688 for remote code execution to enable email collection of targeted networks. Also, Threat actors used credentials in conjunction with known vulnerabilities on public-facing applications, such as virtual private networks (VPNs)—CVE-2020-0688 and CVE-2020-17144—to escalate privileges and gain remote code execution (RCE) on the exposed applications.","references":["https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa22-047a","https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa20-258a"],"status":"complete","source_file":"kev-07.28.2025_attack-16.1-enterprise.json","attack_version":"16.1","kev_snapshot":"07/28/2025"},{"domain":"enterprise","cve":"CVE-2020-0688","technique":"T1505.003","technique_name_at_mapping":"Web Shell","mapping_type":"secondary_impact","capability_group":"code_execution","comments":"CVE-2020-0688 is a RCE vulnerability exists in Microsoft Exchange software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory. A nation-state APT actor has been observed exploiting this vulnerability to conduct widespread, distributed, and anonymized brute force access attempts against hundreds of government and private sector targets worldwide.","references":["https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa21-209a","https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa21-209a"],"status":"complete","source_file":"kev-07.28.2025_attack-16.1-enterprise.json","attack_version":"16.1","kev_snapshot":"07/28/2025"}],"techniques":[{"id":"T1110","domains":["enterprise"],"in_current_bundle":true,"live":true,"name_now":"Brute Force","name_at_mapping":"Brute Force","renamed":false,"revoked_by":null,"mapping_types":["primary_impact"],"sigma_rule_count":25,"has_detection_strategy":true},{"id":"T1114","domains":["enterprise"],"in_current_bundle":true,"live":true,"name_now":"Email Collection","name_at_mapping":"Email Collection","renamed":false,"revoked_by":null,"mapping_types":["primary_impact"],"sigma_rule_count":4,"has_detection_strategy":true},{"id":"T1190","domains":["enterprise"],"in_current_bundle":true,"live":true,"name_now":"Exploit Public-Facing Application","name_at_mapping":"Exploit Public-Facing Application","renamed":false,"revoked_by":null,"mapping_types":["exploitation_technique"],"sigma_rule_count":149,"has_detection_strategy":true},{"id":"T1505.003","domains":["enterprise"],"in_current_bundle":true,"live":true,"name_now":"Web Shell","name_at_mapping":"Web Shell","renamed":false,"revoked_by":null,"mapping_types":["secondary_impact"],"sigma_rule_count":35,"has_detection_strategy":true}],"mapping_types":["exploitation_technique","primary_impact","secondary_impact"],"has_exploitation_technique":true,"mapping_attack_versions":["16.1"],"mapping_domains":["enterprise"],"sigma_coverage":"full","sigma_rules_tagged_cve":["7c64e577-d72e-4c3d-9d75-8de6d1f9146a","d6266bf5-935e-4661-b477-78772735a7cb","fce2c2e2-0fb5-41ab-a14c-5391e1fd70a5"],"added_after_mapping_snapshot":false,"_source":"kevmap","_built":"2026-08-23 05:47 UTC","_attack_version":"19.2"}