CVE-2024-49028 in Office
Summary
by MITRE • 11/12/2024
Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2025
Microsoft Excel remote code execution vulnerabilities represent critical security flaws that allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems through maliciously crafted Excel files. These vulnerabilities typically arise from insufficient input validation and improper handling of specially formatted spreadsheet data structures during file parsing operations. The technical implementation involves memory corruption issues such as buffer overflows or use-after-free conditions that occur when Excel processes malformed elements within workbook files, particularly in features like formula evaluation, object linking, or embedded content handling. Such vulnerabilities are categorized under CWE-121 heap-based buffer overflow and CWE-476 null pointer dereference patterns commonly found in spreadsheet processing libraries.
The operational impact of these vulnerabilities extends far beyond simple data corruption as they provide attackers with complete system compromise capabilities when users open malicious files. Attackers can leverage these flaws through various delivery mechanisms including phishing emails containing infected attachments, compromised websites serving malicious Excel files, or even through document sharing platforms where users unknowingly download harmful content. The exploitation typically requires no special privileges on the target system since the vulnerability exists within the application itself rather than requiring elevated permissions. Once successfully exploited, attackers can execute malware, establish persistence mechanisms, escalate privileges, and potentially gain access to sensitive corporate data or use the compromised system as a launching point for further attacks within network environments.
These vulnerabilities align with multiple ATT&CK techniques including initial access through social engineering and phishing campaigns, execution via legitimate user processes, privilege escalation when the application runs with elevated permissions, and persistence mechanisms that maintain access post-exploitation. The attack surface is particularly wide given Excel's widespread adoption across enterprise environments where users frequently open files from unknown sources without proper security awareness training. Organizations running older versions of Microsoft Office or those that have not applied timely security patches face heightened risk exposure since many of these vulnerabilities are regularly patched by Microsoft through their monthly security updates or emergency patches for critical issues.
Mitigation strategies must encompass multiple defensive layers including regular security patching of Microsoft Office applications, implementation of email filtering solutions to detect and block suspicious attachments, user education programs focused on recognizing phishing attempts, application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of unauthorized software, and network-based controls such as sandboxing Excel file processing or using secure document viewers. Additionally, organizations should implement strict access controls on sensitive systems where Excel files may be opened and consider deploying endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify anomalous behavior patterns associated with exploitation attempts. The combination of these defensive measures significantly reduces the probability of successful exploitation while maintaining operational functionality across business environments dependent on spreadsheet processing capabilities.