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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2026-97761 Microsoft CVE debrief

A stack-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. This CVE record was published on 2026-10-13T19:00:37.544Z and has not been modified since then. The NVD entry is currently 8.8 HIGH. The vulnerability affects multiple Microsoft Office products, including Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Microsoft Office 365 for Mac, and Microsoft Office LTSC 2024. System administrators and security teams should assess exposure and apply patches.

Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise
CVSS
HIGH 8.8
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2026-10-13
Original CVE updated
2026-10-14
Advisory published
2026-10-13
Advisory updated
2026-10-14

Who should care

System administrators, security teams, and users of Microsoft Office Excel should assess exposure and apply patches. This vulnerability requires immediate attention from system administrators and security teams to verify exposure of Microsoft Office Excel and apply patches from Microsoft to prevent exploitation.

Why it matters

This vulnerability allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network, posing a significant risk to system administrators and security teams. Immediate attention is required to verify exposure and apply patches.

  • Verify exposure of Microsoft Office Excel
  • Apply patches from Microsoft to prevent exploitation
  • Monitor for suspicious activity
  • Inventory checks for affected versions

Technical summary

A stack-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. The vulnerability affects multiple Microsoft Office products, including Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Microsoft Office 365 for Mac, and Microsoft Office LTSC 2024.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize verifying exposure of Microsoft Office Excel and applying patches. This vulnerability requires immediate attention from system administrators and security teams.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Verify exposure of Microsoft Office Excel
  • Apply patches from Microsoft
  • Monitor for suspicious activity
  • Inventory checks for affected versions

Evidence notes

The CVE record and source item provide details on the vulnerability, but limited information is available on exploitation or victim impact. The source item details are currently null. Official CVE Program record and NVD detail page provide additional information. However, there is no information on known or unknown affected scope. Defenders should verify exposure of Microsoft Office Excel and apply patches from Microsoft.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2026-97761 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-97761

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

  • CVE-2026-97761 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-97761

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

Supplemental references

  • Microsoft Office Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/main/cves/2026/97xxx/CVE-2026-97761.json

    cve_program_cvelist_v5

  • Source reference

    Unverified legacy reference

    URL: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-97761

    Supplemental source - vendor-advisory, patch

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.