Microsoft Office Word: Remote code execution through use-after-free
Summary
A use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Office Word allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. The CVSS vector requires high attack complexity and user interaction, so a victim must typically open a manipulated document, for example one received by email or downloaded from a link. The CNA record lists Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Office for Mac, and Office LTSC 2021, 2024 and for Mac editions as affected.
Affected
- Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise from 16.0.1 (exact vulnerable range per the Microsoft Office security releases page)
- Office 365 for Mac before 16.115.26110837
- Office LTSC 2021 from 16.0.1 before 16.0.14334.21048
- Office LTSC 2024 from 16.0.0 before 16.0.17932.21140
- Office LTSC for Mac 2021 from 16.0.1 before 16.115.26110837
- Office LTSC for Mac 2024 from 16.0.0 before 16.115.26110837
Fixed in
- Office LTSC 2021: 16.0.14334.21048 or later
- Office LTSC 2024: 16.0.17932.21140 or later (as listed in the CNA record; verify on MSRC)
- Office for Mac and LTSC for Mac: 16.115.26110837 or later
- Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise: Unknown. Check the Microsoft Office security releases page (https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases) for the current build.
Workaround
Unknown.
Exploitation
- No evidence of exploitation in the wild found for this CVE.
- No public proof of concept found.
- Not listed in CISA KEV according to a third-party tracker; not verified on CISA's site.
- CISA SSVC: Exploitation none, Automatable no, Technical Impact total.
Our recommendation
- Install the November 2026 Office security updates on all Microsoft 365, LTSC and Mac installations. Office updates usually come through Office's own updater, not only through Windows Update.
- Verify installed build numbers against the MSRC advisory before treating systems as patched.
- Patch CVE-2026-124194, the exploited spoofing flaw in the same release, in the same cycle.
- Keep phishing controls on incoming Office attachments and links, since document delivery is the most likely attack path.
Information from Microsoft (Patch Tuesday November 2026)
Public exploits
PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit and Exploit-DB list nothing for this CVE.
Research sources
- Microsoft Security Response Center: CVE-2026-110052 msrc.microsoft.com
- CVE Record CVE-2026-110052 www.cve.org
- Strix: CVE-2026-110052 www.strix.ai
- NewsBeep: November 2026 Patch Tuesday www.newsbeep.com
- CrowdStrike: Patch Tuesday analysis November 2026 www.crowdstrike.com
- Windowsforum: November 2026 Patch Tuesday and Office update windowsforum.com
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, 06:01.
Original description (NVD)
Use after free in Microsoft Office Word 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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