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Microsoft Excel EUVDEUVD-2026-99829

| CVE-2026-97778 HIGH
Integer Overflow or Wraparound (CWE-190)
2026-10-13 secure@microsoft.com GHSA-3jf6-crcr-95mc
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 Excel file via phishing
  2. Delivery
    Victim opens document in Excel
  3. Exploit
    Trigger integer overflow in parser
  4. Execution
    Execute arbitrary code as user
  5. Impact
    Compromise host and data

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Integer overflow checks
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 Microsoft Excel file (UI:R in the CVSS vector), making successful attacks dependent on social engineering or file delivery rather than fully autonomous remote compromise. No authentication is required of the attacker (PR:N), and no special target-side configuration is indicated - default Excel installations that open the malicious document are affected. The primary limiting factor is the mandatory user action of opening the file; Protected View / Mark-of-the-Web warnings and disabling of risky content can further reduce exposure. Affected builds per EUVD include Office LTSC 2021 (<16.0.14334.20974), Office LTSC 2024 (<16.0.17932.21056), Office Online Server (<16.0.10417.20228), the Mac LTSC/365 editions, and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise.

Impact

This is a genuine high-priority vulnerability. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R) describes a network-delivered, low-complexity, unauthenticated code-execution flaw whose only gating factor is user interaction - the victim must open a malicious Excel document. The HIGH/HIGH/HIGH impact (C:H/I:H/A:H) with unchanged scope yields the 8.8 score, consistent with full compromise of the user's security context. Reported directly by Microsoft (secure@microsoft.com) and a vendor patch is available, confirming legitimacy. However, exploitation-prediction signals are absent from the input: no EPSS probability, no CISA KEV listing, and no POC/SSVC data are provided, so there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis. The practical risk therefore rests on the documented ease of weaponizing Office file-format bugs via phishing combined with Office's enormous install base, not on confirmed in-the-wild activity. Treat as a priority patch for any Office deployment, while noting that the real-world exploitation likelihood cannot be quantified from the data given (EPSS/KEV/POC all missing).

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker emails or hosts a specially crafted .xlsx/.xls file that triggers an integer overflow (CWE-190) during Excel's parsing of the file. When the targeted user opens the document, the overflow corrupts memory and leads to arbitrary code execution in the user's context. No public exploit code was identified in the provided data, but the AV:N/AC:L/UI:R profile makes this well-suited to phishing-style delivery.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Why: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9).
Patch available 0.6% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Oct 13, 2026

Remote code execution in Microsoft Excel occurs when a user opens an attacker-crafted spreadsheet, exploiting an integer overflow (wraparound) that corrupts memory while Excel processes the file. The flaw carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H): the attacker needs no credentials and can deliver the file over the network, but successful exploitation hinges on the victim opening the document, so real-world attacks depend on social engineering or malicious file delivery rather than autonomous remote compromise. Affected builds include Office LTSC 2021 and 2024, Office Online Server, the Mac LTSC and 365 editions, and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise; this is a genuine high-priority vulnerability, though there is no public exploit identified at time of analysis, and a vendor patch is available.

RemediationAI

Apply the vendor patch - Microsoft states a fix is available from the vendor, and the EUVD affected-version thresholds indicate the remediated builds as Office LTSC 2021 16.0.14334.20974 or later, Office LTSC 2024 16.0.17932.21056 or later, Office Online Server 16.0.10417.20228 or later, and the current Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise build distributed via https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases; Mac LTSC and Office 365 for Mac editions should be updated to the versions published by Microsoft, with full details at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97778. Prioritize the Microsoft 365 Apps and Mac channels that update on a rolling cadence, since users on the Current Channel may already have received the fixed build while LTSC and Office Online Server installations require explicit patching. Until updates are deployed, keep Protected View and Mark-of-the-Web enforcement enabled for documents from the internet and email (side effect: legitimate external spreadsheets open in a restricted, read-only sandbox and may require the user to explicitly enable editing, which adds friction but does not block the attack entirely because the user can still choose to trust the file). Additional compensating controls with trade-offs include blocking or quarantining untrusted XLSX/XLS/XLSM attachments and downloads at the mail gateway, proxy, and endpoint layers (side effect: false positives on business-critical spreadsheets and operational overhead in maintaining allowlists), disabling macros and legacy Excel formats where they are not required via Group Policy or the Trust Center (side effect: breaks macro-driven business workflows), and restricting Office Online Server document-opening endpoints to trusted internal sources (side effect: reduces external collaboration capability). None of these controls substitutes for patching; they only raise the cost of delivery and reduce the likelihood that a user opens the malicious file.

Affected VersionsENISA

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 Office LTSC 2024 16.0.0 <16.0.17932.21056
Office Online Server 16.0.0.0 <16.0.10417.20228
Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2024 16.0.0 <publication
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise 16.0.1 <https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases

Affected Packages

euvd microsoft_office_ltsc_2021 fix: 16.0.14334.20974
euvd microsoft_office_ltsc_2024 fix: 16.0.17932.21056
euvd office_online_server fix: 16.0.10417.20228

Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)

Affects your stack

Affects 3 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 root cause is CWE-190, an integer overflow or wraparound, occurring inside Microsoft Excel's parsing and calculation logic for spreadsheet content. When Excel computes a size, offset, or length value from attacker-controlled data in the document, the arithmetic can wrap past the bounds of the integer type, producing a value far smaller (or differently signed) than intended. That corrupted value is then used to allocate memory or index into it, and the mismatch results in an out-of-bounds write - the associated tags of Integer Overflow and Buffer Overflow describe exactly this two-stage failure: the overflow enables the subsequent memory corruption. Because the corrupted structure lives in the Excel process that opens the file, the code executes with the privileges of the interacting user, giving high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact within that user's context. The attack surface is the Excel document parser itself rather than a network service, which is why the CVSS vector shows network delivery (AV:N) combined with mandatory user interaction (UI:R), and why mitigations such as Protected View and Mark-of-the-Web checks are directly relevant to reducing exposure. No affected CPE strings were supplied; product scope is instead defined by the EUVD version ranges for the Office desktop, Mac, Office Online Server, and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise channels.

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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

File-based Office RCE delivered over the network with no attacker privileges but requiring the victim to open the document (UI:R), yielding full user-context impact (C/I/A:H).

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 - 19:22 cve.org
HIGH 8.8

DescriptionCVE.org

Integer overflow or wraparound in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Microsoft Excel is affected by a high-severity remote code execution vulnerability (CVE-2026-97778) that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code if a user opens a malicious spreadsheet. This affects organizations using Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Office LTSC 2021 and 2024, Office Online Server, and Mac editions, potentially leading to data theft or system compromise. No public exploit identified at time of analysis, and a vendor patch is available, making immediate remediation critical to protect sensitive information and maintain business continuity.

Business Impact: High
Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.6%
Top 52% exploitable
Prevalence
Ubiquitous
Microsoft Office Excel is deployed across the vast majority of enterprise and consumer environments
Threat Intel
1
1 sources
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 0.6%
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.

Integer overflow occurs when an arithmetic operation produces a result that exceeds the maximum value a given integer type can store.

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