Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability New
CVE-2025-21387
Security Vulnerability
Released: Feb 11, 2025
- Assigning CNA
- Microsoft
- CVE.org link
- CVE-2025-21387
- Impact
- Remote Code Execution
- Max Severity
- Important
- Weakness
- CVSS Source
- Microsoft
- Vector String
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
- Metrics
- CVSS:3.1 7.8 / 6.8Base score metrics: 7.8 / Temporal score metrics: 6.8
Metric
Value
Base score metrics(8)
Attack Vector
This metric reflects the context by which vulnerability exploitation is possible. The Base Score increases the more remote (logically, and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerable component.
Local
The vulnerable component is not bound to the network stack and the attacker’s path is via read/write/execute capabilities. Either: the attacker exploits the vulnerability by accessing the target system locally (e.g., keyboard, console), or remotely (e.g., SSH); or the attacker relies on User Interaction by another person to perform actions required to exploit the vulnerability (e.g., tricking a legitimate user into opening a malicious document)
Attack Complexity
This metric describes the conditions beyond the attacker’s control that must exist in order to exploit the vulnerability. Such conditions may require the collection of more information about the target or computational exceptions. The assessment of this metric excludes any requirements for user interaction in order to exploit the vulnerability. If a specific configuration is required for an attack to succeed, the Base metrics should be scored assuming the vulnerable component is in that configuration.
Low
Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required
This metric describes the level of privileges an attacker must possess before successfully exploiting the vulnerability.
None
The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
User Interaction
This metric captures the requirement for a user, other than the attacker, to participate in the successful compromise the vulnerable component. This metric determines whether the vulnerability can be exploited solely at the will of the attacker, or whether a separate user (or user-initiated process) must participate in some manner.
Required
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability requires a user to take some action before the vulnerability can be exploited.
Scope
Does a successful attack impact a component other than the vulnerable component? If so, the Base Score increases and the Confidentiality, Integrity and Authentication metrics should be scored relative to the impacted component.
Unchanged
An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality
This metric measures the impact to the confidentiality of the information resources managed by a software component due to a successfully exploited vulnerability. Confidentiality refers to limiting information access and disclosure to only authorized users, as well as preventing access by, or disclosure to, unauthorized ones.
High
There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity
This metric measures the impact to integrity of a successfully exploited vulnerability. Integrity refers to the trustworthiness and veracity of information.
High
There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability
This metric measures the impact to the availability of the impacted component resulting from a successfully exploited vulnerability. It refers to the loss of availability of the impacted component itself, such as a networked service (e.g., web, database, email). Since availability refers to the accessibility of information resources, attacks that consume network bandwidth, processor cycles, or disk space all impact the availability of an impacted component.
High
There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component; this loss is either sustained (while the attacker continues to deliver the attack) or persistent (the condition persists even after the attack has completed). Alternatively, the attacker has the ability to deny some availability, but the loss of availability presents a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component (e.g., the attacker cannot disrupt existing connections, but can prevent new connections; the attacker can repeatedly exploit a vulnerability that, in each instance of a successful attack, leaks a only small amount of memory, but after repeated exploitation causes a service to become completely unavailable).
Temporal score metrics(3)
Exploit Code Maturity
This metric measures the likelihood of the vulnerability being attacked, and is typically based on the current state of exploit techniques, public availability of exploit code, or active, 'in-the-wild' exploitation.
Unproven
No publicly available exploit code is available, or an exploit is theoretical.
Remediation Level
The Remediation Level of a vulnerability is an important factor for prioritization. The typical vulnerability is unpatched when initially published. Workarounds or hotfixes may offer interim remediation until an official patch or upgrade is issued. Each of these respective stages adjusts the temporal score downwards, reflecting the decreasing urgency as remediation becomes final.
Official Fix
A complete vendor solution is available. Either the vendor has issued an official patch, or an upgrade is available.
Report Confidence
This metric measures the degree of confidence in the existence of the vulnerability and the credibility of the known technical details. Sometimes only the existence of vulnerabilities are publicized, but without specific details. For example, an impact may be recognized as undesirable, but the root cause may not be known. The vulnerability may later be corroborated by research which suggests where the vulnerability may lie, though the research may not be certain. Finally, a vulnerability may be confirmed through acknowledgement by the author or vendor of the affected technology. The urgency of a vulnerability is higher when a vulnerability is known to exist with certainty. This metric also suggests the level of technical knowledge available to would-be attackers.
Confirmed
Detailed reports exist, or functional reproduction is possible (functional exploits may provide this). Source code is available to independently verify the assertions of the research, or the author or vendor of the affected code has confirmed the presence of the vulnerability.
Please see Common Vulnerability Scoring System for more information on the definition of these metrics.
Exploitability
The following table provides an exploitability assessment for this vulnerability at the time of original publication.
- Publicly disclosed
- No
- Exploited
- No
- Exploitability assessment
- Exploitation Less Likely
FAQ
Is the Preview Pane an attack vector for this vulnerability?
Yes, the Preview Pane is an attack vector.
According to the CVSS metric, the attack vector is local (AV:L). Why does the CVE title indicate that this is a remote code execution?
The word Remote in the title refers to the location of the attacker. This type of exploit is sometimes referred to as Arbitrary Code Execution (ACE). The attack itself is carried out locally.
For example, when the score indicates that the Attack Vector is Local and User Interaction is Required, this could describe an exploit in which an attacker, through social engineering, convinces a victim to download and open a specially crafted file from a website which leads to a local attack on their computer.
There are multiple update packages available for some of the affected software. Do I need to install all the updates listed in the Security Updates table for the software?
Yes. Customers should apply all updates offered for the software installed on their systems. If multiple updates apply, they can be installed in any order.
Acknowledgements
- f4
Security Updates
To determine the support lifecycle for your software, see the Microsoft Support Lifecycle.
Release date Descending
Product
Platform
Impact
Max Severity
Article
Download
Build Number
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft Excel 2016 (64-bit edition)
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 16.0.5487.1000
- 16.0.5487.1000
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft Excel 2016 (32-bit edition)
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 16.0.5487.1000
- 16.0.5487.1000
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2024
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 16.94.25020927
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 for 64-bit editions
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- Security Update
- https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 for 32-bit editions
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- Security Update
- https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 32-bit editions
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- Security Update
- https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 64-bit editions
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- Security Update
- https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2021
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 16.94.25020927
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise for 64-bit Systems
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- Security Update
- https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise for 32-bit Systems
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- Security Update
- https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft Office 2019 for 64-bit editions
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- Security Update
- https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Feb 11, 2025
Microsoft Office 2019 for 32-bit editions
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- Security Update
- https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Feb 11, 2025
Office Online Server
-
Remote Code Execution
Important
- 16.0.10416.20058
All results loaded
Loaded all 13 rows
Disclaimer
The information provided in the Microsoft Knowledge Base is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Microsoft disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall Microsoft Corporation or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits or special damages, even if Microsoft Corporation or its suppliers have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages so the foregoing limitation may not apply.
Revisions
version
revisionDate
description
1.0
Feb 11, 2025
Information published.
How satisfied are you with the MSRC Security Update Guide?