CVE-2026-64910 in Office
Summary
by MITRE • 08/11/2026
Untrusted pointer dereference in Microsoft Office allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical memory safety issue that exists within Microsoft Office applications, specifically manifesting as an untrusted pointer dereference flaw that can be exploited by unauthorized attackers to achieve local code execution. The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of pointer values before dereferencing them, creating a scenario where malicious input can manipulate memory access patterns to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the affected application. Such flaws typically arise when Office applications fail to properly validate user-supplied data or file contents before processing them, leading to situations where attacker-controlled pointers can be used to access memory locations outside of intended boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with a pathway to execute malicious code on targeted systems without requiring elevated privileges initially. When an attacker crafts a specially malformed Office document or file that triggers the untrusted pointer dereference, they can potentially leverage this weakness to inject and execute their own code within the context of the Office application process. This attack vector is particularly concerning because it can be delivered through social engineering campaigns targeting end users, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional network-based security measures. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat surface that can be exploited across multiple Office applications including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, each presenting unique exploitation opportunities based on their respective file format parsers.
Security researchers have classified this type of vulnerability under CWE-476 which specifically addresses null pointer dereference conditions in software implementations. This categorization highlights the fundamental flaw in program logic where developers fail to validate that pointers contain valid memory addresses before attempting to access them. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.005 which involves the use of command and scripting interpreter for execution, as attackers can leverage the executed code to establish persistent access or escalate privileges within compromised systems. The exploitation typically requires minimal user interaction beyond opening a malicious document, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where users frequently open documents from external sources.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing multiple layers of protection including regular security updates and patches from Microsoft that address the specific memory validation issues, application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized code, and enhanced user awareness training to recognize potentially malicious office documents. Organizations should also consider deploying sandboxing solutions that isolate Office applications from critical system resources and implement strict file validation controls that scan incoming documents for suspicious patterns or structures. Network-level protections such as email filtering and web proxy scanning can help prevent initial delivery of malicious payloads, while endpoint detection and response solutions can identify anomalous execution patterns associated with exploitation attempts. The most effective approach combines immediate patch deployment with comprehensive security awareness programs to reduce the attack surface available to threat actors attempting to exploit this class of memory safety vulnerabilities.