Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessDeliver crafted Excel workbook to victim
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DeliveryVictim opens malicious file
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ExploitTrigger heap buffer overflow in parser
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ExecutionCorrupt heap memory layout
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ImpactExecute arbitrary code as current user
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-crafted Excel workbook (UI:R) in a vulnerable Office/Excel build; it is not remotely triggerable without that interaction. Affected configurations per EUVD are Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Office LTSC 2021 before 16.0.14334.20974, and Office LTSC 2024 before 16.0.17932.21056. The AV:L vector reflects that the malicious file must be processed locally by Excel on the target host; mitigations such as Protected View, Mark-of-the-Web blocking, and disabling of risky content reduce exploitability, and code executes only with the privileges of the user who opens the file, so a low-privilege user context limits downstream impact. |
| Impact | This is a credible patch-priority item but not an emergency. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, base 7.8 HIGH) describes the classic Office client-side pattern: 'local' attack vector because exploitation occurs when a victim opens a malicious file on the target host, low complexity, no prior privileges needed, but mandatory user interaction. The high confidentiality/integrity/availability impacts reflect arbitrary code execution in the user's context. No EPSS score, SSVC decision data, KEV listing, or POC indicator was provided in the input, so there is no signal of active exploitation or public exploit code - exploitation status is 'no public exploit identified at time of analysis.' The 'unauthorized attacker' phrasing in the description is consistent with PR:N (no authentication to the system needed), but note the hard dependency on UI:R, which materially lowers real-world risk versus a true zero-click remote bug. The main risk driver here is product ubiquity, not exploitability signals, which are absent. Heap-based buffer overflows in Office parsers have a strong historical track record of being weaponized post-disclosure, so patch promptly even though no exploitation is currently evidenced. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | An attacker crafts a malicious Excel workbook that triggers a heap-based buffer overflow in Excel's file parser and delivers it via email or a download link. When the victim opens the file (UI:R), memory corruption leads to arbitrary code execution in the context of the logged-in user. No public proof-of-concept or active exploitation was indicated in the provided data. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Oct 13, 2026
Heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthenticated attacker to execute arbitrary code locally when a user opens a specially crafted workbook. The vulnerability affects Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 before version 16.0.14334.20974, and Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 before version 16.0.17932.21056. Exploitation requires user interaction (UI:R) to open the malicious file; no public exploit identified at time of analysis, and the issue is considered a credible patch-priority item rather than an emergency. Code execution occurs in the context of the user opening the file, so a low-privilege user context limits downstream impact.
RemediationAI
Apply the vendor-released patches: for Microsoft Office LTSC 2021, update to version 16.0.14334.20974 or later; for Microsoft Office LTSC 2024, update to version 16.0.17932.21056 or later; for Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, ensure the latest version from https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases is installed. As workarounds, enable Protected View for untrusted files, ensure Mark-of-the-Web is not bypassed, and disable risky content such as macros and ActiveX controls. These mitigations may reduce functionality but lower exploitability. Running Office with least privilege limits the impact of code execution to the user's context. See the vendor advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97009 for details.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
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 vulnerability is a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122) in Microsoft Office Excel, which occurs when the application parses a specially crafted Excel workbook and writes more data to a heap buffer than was allocated. This memory corruption can be leveraged by an attacker to execute arbitrary code in the context of the user who opens the file. The attack vector is local (AV:L) because the malicious file must be processed by Excel on the target host, and exploitation requires user interaction (UI:R) to open the workbook. The CVSS vector indicates no privileges are required (PR:N), meaning an unauthenticated attacker can craft the file. Affected configurations per EUVD include Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Office LTSC 2021 versions before 16.0.14334.20974, and Office LTSC 2024 versions before 16.0.17932.21056. Mitigations such as Protected View, Mark-of-the-Web blocking, and disabling risky content can reduce exploitability.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
File-open memory-corruption RCE: AV:L and UI:R because a user must open a crafted workbook locally, PR:N as no authentication is needed, full C/I/A in user context.
Primary rating from Vendor (microsoft).
CVSS VectorVendor: microsoft
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.
Executive ViewAI
A memory-corruption flaw in Microsoft Excel (CVE-2026-97009) could allow an attacker to run malicious code on an employee's workstation whenever they open a specially crafted workbook. Because Excel is installed on virtually every knowledge-worker desktop across the organization, a single user opening a hostile file could lead to a compromised endpoint, lost productivity, and exposure of locally stored data. No public exploit code has been identified and code execution is confined to the opening user's privileges, so this is a priority patching item rather than an emergency.
Apply vendor patch.
Threat Intelligence Overview
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.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
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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EUVD-2026-99808
GHSA-3h57-r5m5-xv5w
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
Exploit-DB