Vulnerability Monitor

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CVE-2018-8281

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Office software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka "Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Excel Viewer, Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Word Viewer.

Security Impact Summary

This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8, requiring local system access to exploit with relatively low complexity though user interaction is required and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 4 products from microsoft, from microsoft, from microsoft and 1 other, organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.

Historical Context

First disclosed in 2018, this vulnerability was reported during a period defined by widespread IoT adoption challenges, mobile security concerns, and the emergence of advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques. Contemporary mitigation strategies focused on secure development practices and third-party component vetting.

Published

2018-07-11T00:29:01.070

Last Modified

2024-11-21T04:13:32.503

Status

Modified

Source

[email protected]

Severity

CVSSv3.0: 7.8 (HIGH)

CVSSv2 Vector

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Access Vector: NETWORK
Access Complexity: MEDIUM
Authentication: NONE
Confidentiality Impact: COMPLETE
Integrity Impact: COMPLETE
Availability Impact: COMPLETE

Exploitability Score

8.6

Impact Score

10.0

Weaknesses

Type: Primary
NVD-CWE-noinfo

Affected Vendors & Products

Type	Vendor	Product	Version/Range	Vulnerable?
Application	microsoft	office	2016	Yes
Application	microsoft	office	2016	Yes
Application	microsoft	office_compatibility_pack	-	Yes
Application	microsoft	office_powerpoint_viewer	-	Yes
Application	microsoft	office_word_viewer	-	Yes

References

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/104609 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry ([email protected])
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041252 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry ([email protected])
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8281 Patch, Vendor Advisory ([email protected])
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/104609 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041252 Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-8281 Patch, Vendor Advisory (af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108)

How SecUtils Interprets This CVE

SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For microsoft's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.