CVE-2021-34478 : Security Advisory and Response
Know about CVE-2021-34478 impacting Microsoft Office 2019 and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise. Learn the impact, affected versions, and mitigation steps.
Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability was disclosed on August 10, 2021. The vulnerability impacts Microsoft Office 2019 and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, potentially allowing remote code execution.
Understanding CVE-2021-34478
This section delves into the details of the CVE-2021-34478 vulnerability.
What is CVE-2021-34478?
The CVE-2021-34478 is a Remote Code Execution vulnerability affecting Microsoft Office 2019 and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise. It was published on August 12, 2021.
The Impact of CVE-2021-34478
The impact of this vulnerability is rated as HIGH with a base severity score of 7.8 according to CVSS version 3.1. It could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the victim's system.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-34478
This section provides technical insights into the CVE-2021-34478 vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability allows for remote code execution, posing a significant threat to systems running the affected Microsoft Office versions.
Affected Systems and Versions
Microsoft Office 2019 version 19.0.0 and Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise version 16.0.1 running on 32-bit and x64-based systems are impacted.
Exploitation Mechanism
Exploiting this vulnerability involves crafting a malicious payload and tricking a user into opening a specially crafted file or visiting a malicious website.
Mitigation and Prevention
This section outlines the steps to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2021-34478.
Immediate Steps to Take
Users are advised to install the latest security updates provided by Microsoft. Additionally, exercise caution while handling untrusted files or links.
Long-Term Security Practices
Implementing security best practices such as regular software updates, security awareness training, and email filtering can help prevent similar vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
Ensure that your Microsoft Office installations are kept up to date with the latest security patches to mitigate the risk of exploitation.