CVE-2026-50467 in Office
Summary
by MITRE • 07/14/2026
Use after free in Microsoft Office allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/14/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition in Microsoft Office applications that enables remote code execution by exploiting memory management flaws. The flaw occurs when the application fails to properly validate object references after memory has been deallocated, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate freed memory regions and inject malicious code. Such vulnerabilities are classified under CWE-416 as "Use After Free" and fall within the broader category of memory safety issues that have historically led to severe exploitation vectors.
The technical implementation involves Microsoft Office components such as Word, Excel, or PowerPoint processing files that contain specially crafted malicious content. When these applications parse vulnerable file formats, the memory management system releases certain objects while maintaining references to them. Attackers can manipulate this behavior through carefully constructed input data that triggers the use-after-free condition during normal document processing operations. The vulnerability typically manifests when Office applications process untrusted files through features like embedded object handling, macro execution, or complex formatting structures.
Operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation scenarios as it provides attackers with persistent local code execution capabilities without requiring user interaction for initial compromise. The exploitation process often involves crafting malicious documents that trigger the memory corruption when opened by vulnerable Office versions, allowing adversaries to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the affected user account. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open documents from external sources or untrusted networks.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of Microsoft security patches and updates that address the specific memory management flaws in affected Office versions. Organizations must implement comprehensive application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized code, while also deploying advanced endpoint protection solutions that monitor for suspicious memory access patterns. Network segmentation and email filtering controls can help reduce initial attack surface by preventing malicious documents from reaching end users. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and script interpreter usage, and T1203 for exploitation for privilege escalation through memory corruption attacks. Regular security awareness training should emphasize safe document handling practices to reduce social engineering attack vectors that often accompany such exploits.