CVE-2018-0798KEV · OVERDUE

Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability

High · published January 10, 2018

Patch now

Confirmed exploited, and the score agrees

CVSS calls it high at 8.8. It is confirmed in active exploitation. It sits in the 99.9th percentile for exploit probability.

1633
days past CISA
deadline
CVSS v3.1
8.8
EPSS
95%
Percentile
99.9
In the wild
Confirmed
What it is

🚨 A single math equation could let attackers execute code remotely! This vulnerability in Microsoft Office's Equation Editor is like leaving the door wide open for intruders. 🔥 Think of the Equation Editor as a bustling restaurant kitchen where a delivery person drops off a mysterious box of ingredients. If the chef doesn’t check the box before using it, they might end up cooking with something dangerous, compromising the entire meal! An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to run arbitrary code on a victim's machine, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data or complete system control. The implications are absolutely devastating, as this could compromise not just one system, but entire networks!

Put simply

Think of the Equation Editor as a bustling restaurant kitchen where a delivery person drops off a mysterious box of ingredients. If the chef doesn’t check the box before using it, they might end up cooking with something dangerous, compromising the entire meal! CVE-2018-0798 is a memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Office's Equation Editor that allows remote code execution due to mishandling of objects in memory. Essentially, it means that if a user opens a malicious document, their system can be hijacked without them even knowing!

What to do

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to run arbitrary code on a victim's machine, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data or complete system control. The implications are absolutely devastating, as this could compromise not just one system, but entire networks! To mitigate this risk, ensure all Microsoft Office installations are updated to the latest version, specifically addressing the CVE by deploying the patches provided by Microsoft. Regularly educate users on the dangers of opening suspicious documents. 🛡️ You've got this! Stay vigilant, patch your systems, and you'll keep the cyber villains at bay! 😊

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.1
8.8 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.95121 · 99.9th percentile
Published
2018-01-10T01:00Z
KEV added
2021-11-03 · due 2022-05-03
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 03 NOV 00:00Z
    Added to CISA KEV — remediate by May 3
    kev
  • 10 JAN 01:00Z
    Equation Editor in Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft Office 2013, and Microsoft Office 2016 allows a remote code execution vulnerability…
    cvelistv5