Technical impact
An out‑of‑bounds read flaw in Microsoft Office programs can be exploited by an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the local system. The vulnerability, identified as CWE‑125, allows a malicious Office file to trigger a memory read beyond allocated bounds, leading to code execution with the privileges of the active user. This enables a local attacker to compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected machine, potentially allowing data exfiltration or the installation of persistent malware.
Affected Systems
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Office 2016, Office 2019, Office 2021, Office 2024, Office 365 for Mac, Office LTSC 2021, Office LTSC 2024, Office LTSC for Mac 2021 and Office LTSC for Mac 2024, as well as SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016, SharePoint Server 2019, and the SharePoint Server Subscription Edition. All current releases of these products are potentially vulnerable until a patch is applied, as no specific version ranges are listed.
Risk and Exploitability
The CVSS score of 8.4 indicates a high‑severity flaw; however, the EPSS score of less than 1% suggests that exploitation is possible but not likely at present. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog, meaning there are no confirmed exploits in the wild. The most likely attack vector is a victim opening a crafted Office document that contains malicious content, which triggers the out‑of‑bounds read and leads to local code execution. Effective mitigation requires applying the most recent Microsoft Office updates and limiting the use of untrusted Office files.
