HIGH SEVERITY

CVE-2020-1338

365 Apps vulnerability

CVSS
7.8
EPSS
3.6%
EPSS pct
88th
Exploited
No known
<p>A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Word software when it fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could use a specially crafted file to perform actions in the security context of the current user. For example, the file could then take actions on behalf of the logged-on user with the same permissions as the current user.</p> <p>To exploit the vulnerability, a user must open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Microsoft Word software. In an email attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending the specially crafted file to the user and convincing the user to open the file. In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a website (or leverage a compromised website that accepts or hosts user-provided content) that contains a specially crafted file that is designed to exploit the vulnerability. However, an attacker would have no way to force the user to visit the website. Instead, an attacker would have to convince the user to click a link, typically by way of an enticement in an email or Instant Messenger message, and then convince the user to open the specially crafted file.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Word handles files in memory.</p>
Affected vendor
Microsoft
Affected product
365 Apps
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Published
2020-09-11

Risk analysis

Based on its CVSS vector, this vulnerability is exploitable with local access, low attack complexity, requiring no privileges, user interaction. Successful exploitation leads to high impact to confidentiality, high impact to integrity, high impact to availability.

Its EPSS score of 3.6% reflects a lower probability of exploitation activity in the wild over the next 30 days, placing it above 88% of all scored CVEs.

Check your external exposure to CVE-2020-1338

  • Confirm whether Microsoft 365 Apps is running on any internet-facing host or subdomain.
  • Match discovered service fingerprints against the version affected by CVE-2020-1338.
  • Prioritise remediation if the asset is public, business-critical, or near authentication/payment flows.

How ThreatPort helps with CVE-2020-1338

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