Microsoft PowerPoint: Use-after-free leading to remote code execution
Summary
A use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) in Microsoft PowerPoint allows an unauthenticated attacker to execute code over a network. Exploitation requires a user to open a crafted PowerPoint file, typically received by email or download. Microsoft rates the attack complexity as high. The sources reviewed show no active exploitation.
Affected
- Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise: 16.0.1 before the build listed on https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
- Office 365 for Mac: 1.0.0 before 16.115.26110837
- Office LTSC 2021: 16.0.1 before 16.0.14334.21048
- Office LTSC 2024: 16.0.0 before 16.0.17932.21140 (from third-party source, not yet confirmed in the CNA record)
- Office LTSC for Mac 2021 and 2024: 16.0.0 or 16.0.1 before 16.115.26110837
- Windows, Windows Server, Office 2016 and Office 2019: Unknown.
Fixed in
- Office LTSC 2021: 16.0.14334.21048
- Office LTSC 2024: 16.0.17932.21140 (to be confirmed on the MSRC page)
- Office for Mac and Office LTSC for Mac: 16.115.26110837
- Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise: Build listed on https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases (Unknown in the sources reviewed)
- Patch route: Microsoft's November 2026 Office security updates.
Workaround
No vendor workaround found. Status: Unknown.
- Patching is the documented fix.
- Interim measure (general practice, not a Microsoft recommendation for this CVE): keep Protected View enabled for internet and email attachments, and block or quarantine Office files from untrusted senders.
Exploitation
- No known exploitation in the sources reviewed. The NVD record was still awaiting analysis.
- Public proof of concept: none known.
- CISA SSVC: Exploitation none, Automatable no, Technical Impact total.
- Microsoft temporal rating: Unproven (E:U).
Our recommendation
- Confirm the exact fixed build for each Office edition on the MSRC page and the aka.ms release page.
- Patch Microsoft 365 and Office LTSC clients in the November 2026 update cycle, starting with staff who open files from external senders.
- Keep Protected View enabled and review email attachment filtering.
- Recheck NVD and CISA KEV for changes.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- CVE.org CNA record (Microsoft) www.cve.org
- MSRC Security Update Guide msrc.microsoft.com
- Strix CVE summary (third-party) www.strix.ai
- Rapid7 Patch Tuesday November 2026 www.rapid7.com
- Redmondmag: November 2026 Patch Tuesday redmondmag.com
- Shattered: November 2026 Patch Tuesday shattered.io
Researched and written up in English and German by an AI (Claude by Anthropic) based on NVD, CISA, EPSS and the sources listed. The vendor information is authoritative. Researched on 11 Nov 2026, 06:04.
Original description (NVD)
Use after free in Microsoft Office PowerPoint allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.
NVD references (1)
Sources
The tracker combines official, freely usable data sources – updated continuously:
- NVD (NIST) – CVEs, rating (CVSS), affected products
- CISA KEV – vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA as actively exploited
- CISA Vulnrichment – CISA assessment (SSVC) in the official CVE record
- FIRST EPSS – probability of exploitation
- Microsoft MSRC – Patch Tuesday: vulnerabilities, severity, updates
- PoC-in-GitHub – public proof-of-concept repositories
- Metasploit (Rapid7) – modules of the Metasploit Framework
- Exploit-DB (OffSec) – archive of public exploits (links only)
- Patch days: official vendor pages (linked per vendor) (Vendor patch days)
This product uses data from the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS data © FIRST.org.
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