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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2012-2539 Microsoft CVE debrief

CVE-2012-2539 is a Microsoft Word remote code execution vulnerability that CISA added to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Because it is listed as known exploited, defenders should treat it as a high-priority patching item and apply Microsoft’s updates per vendor instructions.

Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Word
CVSS
Unknown
CISA KEV
Listed
Original CVE published
2022-03-28
Original CVE updated
2022-03-28
Advisory published
2022-03-28
Advisory updated
2022-03-28

Who should care

Organizations that use Microsoft Word on managed endpoints, especially security teams, endpoint administrators, and vulnerability management teams responsible for timely patching.

Technical summary

The supplied sources identify this issue as a Microsoft Word remote code execution vulnerability and confirm its inclusion in CISA’s KEV catalog. The available record does not provide CVSS details or deeper technical mechanics, so the safest action is prompt remediation using vendor guidance.

Defensive priority

High. CISA’s KEV listing indicates known exploitation, and the catalog’s required action is to apply updates per vendor instructions.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Inventory systems with Microsoft Word installed.
  • Prioritize remediation of CVE-2012-2539 using Microsoft-provided updates.
  • Track the CISA KEV due date (2022-04-18) as a remediation deadline reference.
  • Confirm patch deployment and verify affected endpoints are updated.
  • Use internal monitoring to review for suspicious document-related activity and other signs of exploitation.

Evidence notes

CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog lists CVE-2012-2539 as a Microsoft Word remote code execution vulnerability and directs organizations to apply updates per vendor instructions. The NVD record linked in the source metadata corroborates the CVE identifier and product naming.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2012-2539 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-2539

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2012-2539 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-2539

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

  • CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog

    Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency - Official CISA catalog of vulnerabilities known to be exploited in the wild.

Supplemental references

  • Source item URL

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

    cisa_kev

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.