Double Free in Microsoft Office Excel Allows Code Execution

Publication date: 2026-09-08

Last updated on: 2026-09-09

Assigner: Microsoft Corporation

Description

Double free in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
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Meta Information

Published

2026-09-08

Last Modified

2026-09-09

Generated

2026-09-29

AI Q&A

2026-09-10

EPSS Evaluated

2026-09-27

NVD

CVE-2026-81950

Affected Vendors & Products

Vendor	Product	Version / Range
microsoft	365_apps	*
microsoft	365_apps	*
microsoft	excel	2016
microsoft	excel	2016
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

KEV

CWE ID	Description
CWE-415	The product calls free() twice on the same memory address.

Attack-Flow Graph

Executive Summary

This vulnerability is a double free issue in Microsoft Office Excel. A double free occurs when a program frees the same memory block twice, which can lead to memory corruption and allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system.

Impact Analysis

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to run malicious code on your computer. This could allow them to install programs, view, change, or delete data, or create new accounts with full user rights if you have access to Excel files.

Mitigation Strategies

Apply the latest security updates from Microsoft for affected Office products immediately. Disable Excel or Office macros if not required. Monitor Microsoft's advisory for patches and follow their recommended mitigation steps.

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