CVE intelligence and bounded remediation

CVE-2020-1567 — A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the MSHTML engine improperly validates input

High CVSS 7.6

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the MSHTML engine improperly validates input. An attacker could execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could take control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. In a HTML editing attack scenario, an attacker could trick a user into editing a specially crafted file that is designed to exploit the vulnerability. The security update addresses the vulnerability by modifying how MSHTML engine validates input.

Severity
High
CVSS
7.6 (2.0)
Published
2020-08-17
CISA KEV
Not currently listed
Ecosystem
windows/system

Affected products

  • microsoft / internet_explorer / 11
  • microsoft / internet_explorer / 9

Matched remediation archetype

Command, code, expression, and template injection

This catalog composition supplies bounded fallback guidance. Explicitly reviewed curated workflows load with the complete record below.

Check exposure

  • Trace untrusted values to process execution, interpreters, evaluators, template engines, dynamic imports, and administrative scripting features.
  • Determine whether the affected path is reachable across each trust boundary and which service account or host privilege it inherits.
  • Review configuration for optional execution features, unsafe compatibility modes, and shell invocation.

Remediate safely

  • Replace string-built commands or evaluated code with fixed operations and structured argument APIs that do not invoke a shell.
  • Use strict allowlists for operation identifiers and reject unexpected input before it reaches any interpreter.
  • Update the affected component and add inert regression tests covering metacharacters, encoding variants, and alternate request paths.

Authoritative sources

Complete CVE record and remediation plan

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