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Microsoft Word EUVDEUVD-2026-99715

| CVE-2026-70287 HIGH
Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122)
2026-10-13 secure@microsoft.com GHSA-rq9w-f72p-6m7r
8.8
CVSS 3.1 · Vendor: microsoft
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Attack ChainAIDerived

Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain

  1. Access
    Deliver crafted Word document via phishing
  2. Delivery
    Victim opens malicious file
  3. Exploit
    Trigger heap buffer overflow in Word parser
  4. Execution
    Execute arbitrary code as current user
  5. Impact
    Compromise host and user data

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Heap buffer bounds checking
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Exploitation Conditions

Exploitation requires the victim to open an attacker-supplied crafted Word document (CVSS UI:R) - there is no server-side or zero-click network path despite the AV:N rating, because 'network' here refers to remote delivery of the malicious file, not a listening service. No authentication or prior privileges are needed on the target (PR:N), and default Office Word configurations are affected across the listed Windows and Mac builds. The principal limiting factors are: mandatory user interaction (the file must be opened, and Protected View / Mark-of-the-Web warnings or disabled macros may interpose a prompt), that code runs only in the opening user's context (S:U, no privilege escalation), and that SSVC marks the attack non-automatable, so mass/wormable exploitation is not feasible.

Impact

Signals are moderately but not maximally aligned. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R, C:H/I:H/A:H, 8.8 HIGH) describes a classic weaponized-document memory-corruption bug: no privileges needed, low complexity, but mandatory user interaction (UI:R) - the victim must open a crafted Word file. This UI:R requirement is the single most important risk-dampening factor and is corroborated by CISA SSVC, which rates Exploitation as 'none' (no public exploit identified at time of analysis) and Automatable as 'no' (consistent with a flaw that cannot be sprayed at scale because it needs a human to open an attachment). Technical Impact is 'total,' matching the C:H/I:H/A:H full compromise of the user context. The vulnerability is NOT in CISA KEV, and no POC is indicated, so there is no evidence of active exploitation. EPSS is not provided in the input, so near-term exploitation probability cannot be quantified here - treat its absence as missing data, not as a low score. Net: this is a genuinely serious client-side RCE in an extremely widespread product and should be patched promptly, but it is driven by social-engineering delivery (phishing with a malicious document) rather than unauthenticated wormable network exploitation, so it is a 'patch on normal priority cycle' issue rather than an emergency drop-everything KEV-class threat.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker emails or otherwise delivers a maliciously crafted Word document to a target and lures them into opening it (phishing/spear-phishing). On open, parsing the document triggers a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122) in Office Word, corrupting memory to execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. No public exploit code is identified at time of analysis, and user interaction is required, so delivery depends on social engineering.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.8% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 14, 2026

Heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Word allows remote attackers to execute code in the context of the user who opens a crafted Word document. Exploitation requires the victim to open an attacker-supplied file (CVSS UI:R) and no authentication or prior privileges (PR:N), with code running only in the opening user's context and no privilege escalation (S:U); SSVC marks the attack non-automatable, and no public exploit has been identified at time of analysis. Vendor patches are available, including fixed builds for Office LTSC 2021 and LTSC 2024, with updates for Mac and Microsoft 365 Apps distributed through Microsoft's Office security release channel.

RemediationAI

Apply the vendor patches identified by Microsoft: Office LTSC 2021 should be updated to 16.0.14334.20974 or later, and Office LTSC 2024 to 16.0.17932.21056 or later; for Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2021, Office LTSC for Mac 2024, Office 365 for Mac, and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, install the current update published through Microsoft AutoUpdate or the Office security release channel at https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases, and consult the MSRC advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-70287 for build-specific guidance. Where patching is delayed, keep Protected View and Mark-of-the-Web handling enabled for documents arriving from the internet or email and maintain macro-blocking policies, recognizing that these controls introduce user prompts and may interrupt legitimate document workflows; additionally, block or quarantine high-risk Word attachments at the email and web gateways and consider disabling embedded-object activation in Word via Group Policy, accepting that this can break documents that rely on embedded content. These compensating controls reduce exposure to the crafted-file delivery path but do not remove the underlying heap overflow, so the vendor update remains the primary fix.

Affected VersionsENISA

Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2024 16.0.0 <publication
Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2021 16.0.1 <publication
Microsoft Office 365 for Mac 1.0.0 <publication
Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 16.0.1 <16.0.14334.20974
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise 16.0.1 <https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 16.0.0 <16.0.17932.21056

Affected Packages

euvd microsoft_office_ltsc_2021 fix: 16.0.14334.20974
euvd microsoft_office_ltsc_2024 fix: 16.0.17932.21056

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 2 packages in euvd

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

The flaw is a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122) in Microsoft Word's parsing of crafted document content, where a malformed structure causes an out-of-bounds write to heap memory that can corrupt adjacent data and potentially redirect execution. The CVSS vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H describes a remotely deliverable file (for example, an email attachment or web-hosted document) rather than a listening network service, so the AV:N rating reflects delivery of the malicious file; successful exploitation still demands user interaction to open it. Because the scope is unchanged, code executes with the privileges of the opening user on affected Office builds across Windows and macOS, and the SSVC assessment records exploitation as none, automatable as no, and technical impact as total. The relevant root-cause class is improper bounds checking on a heap buffer during document processing, which is consistent with the heap overflow label applied by the source tags.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

Vendor (microsoft) PRIMARY 8.8 HIGH
AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vuln.today AI 8.8 HIGH

Malicious document is delivered remotely (AV:N) and parsing reliably triggers the overflow (AC:L) with no auth (PR:N), but the victim must open it (UI:R); code runs as the user (S:U) with full C/I/A impact.

3.1 AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).

CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft

Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Lifecycle Timeline

2
Patch available
Oct 13, 2026 - 20:20 EUVD
CVE Published
Oct 13, 2026 - 19:19 cve.org
HIGH 8.8

DescriptionCVE.org

Heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office Word allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Microsoft Word contains a high-severity memory corruption flaw that could let an attacker take control of a user's Office session when they open a malicious document, putting sensitive data and business workflows at risk wherever Word files are exchanged with external parties. The issue requires user interaction, no public exploit has been identified at time of analysis, and vendor fixes are available; because Word is ubiquitous, leadership should prioritize rapid patching and document-handling controls to reduce exposure.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.8%
Top 44% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Microsoft Office Word is deployed across a huge fraction of enterprise and consumer desktops
Vendor Status
Publicly Disclosed:No
Exploited:No
Latest Software Release:Exploitation Less Likely
Data Quality
5 sources
Confidence: Medium

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity HIGH
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.8%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision
Scheduled
Exploitation
None
System Exposure· derived
Open
Automatable
No
Human Impact
High
Technical Impact
Total

Priority Score

45
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +44
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

A heap overflow occurs when a program writes data beyond the bounds of a buffer allocated in the heap memory region.

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