How severe is CVE-2017-0261?

CVE-2017-0261 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-0261 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2017-0261 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2022-03-03, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-0261?

CVE-2017-0261 primarily affects Microsoft Office. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-0261?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.

Does CVE-2017-0261 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2017-0261 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2017-0617. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2022-03-03).

When was CVE-2017-0261 published?

CVE-2017-0261 was published on 2017-05-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-0261

CVE-2017-0261 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Office with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2022-03-03). The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-416.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 9.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 78% (100th percentile)
Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2022-03-03)
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2017-0617
EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2022-03-03)
Weakness: CWE-416
Affected product: Microsoft Office
Published: 2017-05-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Microsoft Office 2010 SP2, Office 2013 SP1, and Office 2016 allow a remote code execution vulnerability when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka "Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability". This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2017-0262 and CVE-2017-0281.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-0261?: Microsoft Office 2010 SP2, Office 2013 SP1, and Office 2016 allow a remote code execution vulnerability when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka "Office Remote Code Execution Vulnerability". This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2017-0262 and CVE-2017-0281.
How severe is CVE-2017-0261?: CVE-2017-0261 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-0261 being actively exploited?: Yes. CVE-2017-0261 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2022-03-03, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-0261?: CVE-2017-0261 primarily affects Microsoft Office. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-0261?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2017-0261 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2017-0261 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2017-0617. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2022-03-03).
When was CVE-2017-0261 published?: CVE-2017-0261 was published on 2017-05-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2010:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2013:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2016:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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