<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Office software when the software fails to properly handle 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>Exploitation of the vulnerability requires that a user open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Microsoft Office. In an email attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending the specially crafted file to the user and convincing the user to open the file. In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a website (or leverage a compromised website that accepts or hosts user-provided content) containing a specially crafted file designed to exploit the vulnerability. An attacker would have no way to force users to visit the website. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to click a link, typically by way of an enticement in an email or instant message, and then convince them to open the specially crafted file.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Office handles objects in memory.</p>
History

No history.

cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: microsoft

Published: 2020-10-16T22:18:04

Updated: 2024-08-04T13:45:34.862Z

Reserved: 2020-08-04T00:00:00

Link: CVE-2020-16954

cve-icon Vulnrichment

No data.

cve-icon NVD

Status : Modified

Published: 2020-10-16T23:15:16.433

Modified: 2024-11-21T05:07:30.160

Link: CVE-2020-16954

cve-icon Redhat

No data.