CVE-2018-0853 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability, known as "Microsoft Office Information Disclosure Vulnerability", has been identified in several versions of Microsoft Office, potentially leading to the disclosure of sensitive information.

Understanding CVE-2018-0853

This CVE affects Microsoft Office 2010 SP2, Microsoft Office 2013 SP1 and RT SP1, Microsoft Office 2016, and Microsoft Office 2016 Click-to-Run (C2R).

What is CVE-2018-0853?

This vulnerability occurs during the initialization of a specific variable in Microsoft Office, allowing for the potential disclosure of sensitive information.

The Impact of CVE-2018-0853

The vulnerability could lead to the exposure of confidential data stored in Microsoft Office documents, compromising user privacy and security.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-0853

Vulnerability Description

Microsoft Office 2010 SP2, Microsoft Office 2013 SP1 and RT SP1, Microsoft Office 2016, and Microsoft Office 2016 Click-to-Run (C2R) are susceptible to an information disclosure vulnerability due to how Office initializes a specific variable.

Affected Systems and Versions

Microsoft Office 2010 SP2
Microsoft Office 2013 SP1 and RT SP1
Microsoft Office 2016
Microsoft Office 2016 Click-to-Run (C2R)

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability is exploited by manipulating the specific variable during the initialization process, allowing attackers to access sensitive information.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security patches provided by Microsoft to address the vulnerability.
Regularly update Microsoft Office to the latest version to mitigate security risks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Educate users on safe browsing habits and avoiding suspicious email attachments.
Implement data encryption measures to protect sensitive information within Microsoft Office documents.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that Microsoft Office is regularly updated with the latest security patches to prevent exploitation of known vulnerabilities.