How severe is CVE-2011-1980?

CVE-2011-1980 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.

Is CVE-2011-1980 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 10% (95th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2011-1980?

CVE-2011-1980 primarily affects Microsoft Office. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2011-1980?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2011-1980 published?

CVE-2011-1980 was published on 2011-09-15 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2011-1980

CVE-2011-1980 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Office with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 10% places it in the 95th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation.

Key facts

Severity: Critical (CVSS 2.0 base score 9.3)
EPSS exploit prediction: 10% (95th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Microsoft Office
Published: 2011-09-15
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Untrusted search path vulnerability in Microsoft Office 2003 SP3 and 2007 SP2 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in the current working directory, as demonstrated by a directory that contains a .doc, .ppt, or .xls file, aka "Office Component Insecure Library Loading Vulnerability."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2011-1980?: Untrusted search path vulnerability in Microsoft Office 2003 SP3 and 2007 SP2 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in the current working directory, as demonstrated by a directory that contains a .doc, .ppt, or .xls file, aka "Office Component Insecure Library Loading Vulnerability."
How severe is CVE-2011-1980?: CVE-2011-1980 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.
Is CVE-2011-1980 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 10% (95th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2011-1980?: CVE-2011-1980 primarily affects Microsoft Office. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2011-1980?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2011-1980 published?: CVE-2011-1980 was published on 2011-09-15 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2003:sp3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2007:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*

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