Microsoft Office Word: Use-after-free allows remote code execution
Summary
A use-after-free flaw in Microsoft Word allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over the network. Exploitation requires a victim to open a crafted Word document, typically received by email or download. Microsoft rates the CVSS score as 8.8 (high), and CISA's SSVC assessment shows no exploitation and that the flaw is not automatable.
Affected
- Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise: from 16.0.1 (per the CNA record; see Microsoft's release page for the exact range)
- Office 365 for Mac: before 16.115.26110837
- Office LTSC 2021: from 16.0.1 to before 16.0.14334.21048
- Office LTSC 2024: from 16.0.0 to before 16.0.17932.21140 (per the CNA record)
- Office LTSC for Mac 2021: from 16.0.1 to before 16.115.26110837
- Office LTSC for Mac 2024: from 16.0.0 to before 16.115.26110837
Fixed in
- Office 365 for Mac: 16.115.26110837
- Office LTSC 2021: 16.0.14334.21048
- Office LTSC for Mac 2021 and 2024: 16.115.26110837
- Office LTSC 2024: 16.0.17932.21140 according to the CNA record; confirm against Microsoft
- Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise: the build is linked from Microsoft's release page and is not confirmed in the sources reviewed; check the MSRC advisory
Workaround
No vendor workaround found in the sources reviewed. Patching is the fix.
Exploitation
- Exploited in the wild: Unknown. Not listed in CISA's KEV catalog in the latest snapshot reviewed.
- Public proof of concept: Unknown.
- CISA SSVC: Exploitation none, Automatable no, Technical Impact total.
Our recommendation
- Patch Microsoft 365 Apps and Office clients as soon as the build numbers are confirmed on the MSRC page. Priority: high.
- Keep automatic updates enabled.
- Keep Protected View and attachment-blocking policies active, and restrict macros and active content from internet-sourced files.
- Warn users about unsolicited Word documents.
- Check for KEV listing and public exploit code over the next few days.
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 record CVE-2026-112735 www.cve.org
- Microsoft Security Update Guide CVE-2026-112735 msrc.microsoft.com
- Strix CVE-2026-112735 (secondary aggregator) www.strix.ai
- CISA KEV update 9 November 2026 www.cisa.gov
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 10 Nov 2026, 22:54.
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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