CVE-2014-1761 in Word
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Word 2003 SP3, 2007 SP3, 2010 SP1 and SP2, 2013, and 2013 RT; Word Viewer; Office Compatibility Pack SP3; Office for Mac 2011; Word Automation Services on SharePoint Server 2010 SP1 and SP2 and 2013; Office Web Apps 2010 SP1 and SP2; and Office Web Apps Server 2013 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via crafted RTF data, as exploited in the wild in March 2014.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption flaw in Microsoft Word's RTF parsing functionality that affected multiple versions of the Microsoft Office suite from 2003 through 2013. The vulnerability specifically resides in how Word processes Rich Text Format documents, which are commonly used for document exchange between different applications. Attackers could craft malicious RTF files that, when opened by an affected Word version, would trigger memory corruption conditions leading to arbitrary code execution or system crashes. This vulnerability was actively exploited in the wild during March 2014, demonstrating its significance and the real-world threat it posed to organizations worldwide. The attack vector involved social engineering techniques where users would receive infected RTF documents through email attachments or malicious websites, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently interact with external document sources.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The flaw occurs during the parsing of RTF data structures where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to manipulate memory layout and execute malicious code within the context of the Word process. This memory corruption vulnerability is particularly severe because it can be triggered through automated document processing, meaning that even opening a malicious RTF file in Word could result in exploitation without requiring user interaction beyond the initial document opening. The vulnerability affects not only standalone Word installations but also Word Viewer, the Office Compatibility Pack, Office for Mac, and various SharePoint and Web Apps configurations, indicating a widespread impact across Microsoft's document processing ecosystem.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation to include significant business disruption and security risk management challenges. Organizations that had not applied the relevant security patches faced potential complete system compromise, as the vulnerability could be used to establish persistent access to networks through initial compromise of individual workstations. The memory corruption nature means that successful exploitation could lead to denial of service conditions that would prevent legitimate business operations, while also enabling attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the compromised user. Security teams had to implement immediate mitigations including disabling RTF file processing, implementing email filtering rules, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlighted the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and implementing defense-in-depth strategies to protect against zero-day exploits.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability required immediate patch deployment across all affected Microsoft Office versions, with particular emphasis on the Office Web Apps and SharePoint Server configurations that were also impacted. Organizations should have implemented application whitelisting policies to restrict RTF file processing, configured email security appliances to block potentially malicious RTF attachments, and established monitoring procedures to detect exploitation attempts through network traffic analysis. The vulnerability also reinforced the need for regular security awareness training to help users recognize social engineering attempts that might deliver malicious RTF documents. From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability was classified under the MITRE ATT&CK framework's T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution, demonstrating how attackers could leverage document processing vulnerabilities to achieve their objectives. Organizations that had robust patch management processes in place were better positioned to avoid exploitation, while those with delayed response times faced significant risk of compromise. The incident underscored the importance of continuous vulnerability assessment and rapid response capabilities in modern cybersecurity operations.