CVE-2026-45474

Microsoft · Office

A heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office allows an unauthorized attacker to execute arbitrary code locally.

Executive summary

Microsoft Office contains a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability that poses a high risk of local code execution for affected systems.

Vulnerability

This vulnerability involves a heap-based buffer overflow within Microsoft Office, which can be leveraged by an unauthorized local attacker to perform memory corruption and execute arbitrary code. The flaw indicates insufficient bounds checking during the processing of specific file types or data structures.

Business impact

An attacker successfully exploiting this vulnerability could gain unauthorized control over the affected system, resulting in potential data exfiltration or the deployment of secondary malicious payloads. The CVSS score of 8.4 justifies a high-priority response, as the impact on system security and user data integrity is substantial.

Remediation

Immediate Action: Monitor official Microsoft security channels and apply the necessary security updates as soon as they are released.

Proactive Monitoring: Enable enhanced logging on endpoints to detect unexpected memory access violations or unauthorized shell executions linked to Office processes.

Compensating Controls: Limit user privileges on workstations to reduce the potential for an attacker to execute code with elevated permissions.

Exploitation status

Public Exploit Available: false

Analyst recommendation

Security teams must prioritize this vulnerability alongside other critical office suite updates. Immediate patching is the primary defense, and administrators should ensure that systems are kept current to prevent exploitation of this memory corruption flaw.