CVE-2026-72974
Analyzed Analyzed - Analysis Complete

Microsoft Excel Buffer Over-Read Information Disclosure

Publication date: 2026-09-08

Last updated on: 2026-09-09

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description
Buffer over-read in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to disclose information over a network.

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Meta Information

Published
2026-09-08
Last Modified
2026-09-09
Generated
2026-09-09
AI Q&A
2026-09-09
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-72974

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 13 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
microsoft 365_apps *
microsoft 365_apps *
microsoft office_2019 *
microsoft office_2019 *
microsoft office_2016 *
microsoft office_2016 *
microsoft microsoft_365 *
microsoft office_2021 *
microsoft office_2021 *
microsoft office_2021 *
microsoft office_2024 *
microsoft office_2024 *
microsoft office_2024 *

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
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KEV
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CWE ID Description
CWE-126 The product reads from a buffer using buffer access mechanisms such as indexes or pointers that reference memory locations after the targeted buffer.

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Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a buffer over-read in Microsoft Office Excel. It allows an unauthorized attacker to read memory outside the intended buffer, potentially exposing sensitive information over a network.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this to access confidential data stored in memory, such as passwords or sensitive documents, without needing special privileges.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data exposure, violating GDPR (data protection) and HIPAA (health information privacy) by compromising confidentiality requirements.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest security updates from Microsoft for affected Office products. Disable Excel macros if not required and restrict network access to Office applications. Monitor for unusual file activity or crashes in Excel.

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