CVE-2026-55038

Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Microsoft Office Word Stack-Based Buffer Overflow

Publication date: 2026-07-14

Last updated on: 2026-07-16

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description

Stack-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office Word allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
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Meta Information

Published

2026-07-14

Last Modified

2026-07-16

Generated

2026-08-04

AI Q&A

2026-07-15

EPSS Evaluated

2026-08-02

NVD

CVE-2026-55038

EUVD

EUVD-2026-44200

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
microsoft	sharepoint_server	2019
microsoft	sharepoint_server	2016
microsoft	365_apps	*
microsoft	365_apps	*
microsoft	word	2016
microsoft	word	2016
microsoft	office_2019	*
microsoft	office_2019	*
microsoft	microsoft_365	*
microsoft	office_2021	*
microsoft	office_2021	*
microsoft	office_2021	*
microsoft	office_2024	*
microsoft	office_2024	*
microsoft	office_2024	*
microsoft	sharepoint_server	to 16.0.19725.20434 (exc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-121	A stack-based buffer overflow condition is a condition where the buffer being overwritten is allocated on the stack (i.e., is a local variable or, rarely, a parameter to a function).

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability in Microsoft Office Word. It allows an unauthorized attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system by exploiting a flaw in how Word handles certain data.

Detection Guidance

Detection of this vulnerability requires monitoring for unusual behavior in Microsoft Office Word, such as crashes or unexpected code execution. Check for recent patches from Microsoft addressing this issue. Use system logs to identify suspicious Word processes or unauthorized code execution attempts.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to run malicious code on your computer, potentially stealing data, installing malware, or taking control of your system. Opening a specially crafted Word document could trigger the exploit.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data access or exfiltration, violating GDPR or HIPAA requirements for data protection and confidentiality. Organizations must patch systems to maintain compliance.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest security updates from Microsoft for Office Word immediately to patch the stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability. Disable macros in Office documents if not required and restrict user permissions to minimize potential exploitation.

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