CVE-2026-97765 Microsoft CVE debrief

Who should care

Defenders responsible for Microsoft Office deployments, particularly those using Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Microsoft Office 365 for Mac, and various Office LTSC versions, should prioritize patching vulnerable systems and assessing exposure across various Office products.

Why it matters

Defenders should prioritize patching vulnerable Microsoft Office versions and assess exposure across various Office products due to a heap-based buffer overflow allowing remote code execution.

• Potential remote code execution over a network
• Need to verify inventory of Office products and versions
• Priority on patching vulnerable Office versions
• Potential impact on business operations if exploited

Technical summary

A heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. The vulnerability is caused by a heap-based buffer overflow, which can be triggered by a specially crafted Excel file. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. The vulnerability affects Microsoft Office Excel and can be exploited remotely.

Defensive priority

Defenders should prioritize patching vulnerable Microsoft Office versions and assess exposure across various Office products.

Recommended defensive actions

• Patch vulnerable Microsoft Office versions
• Assess exposure across various Office products
• Verify inventory of Office products and versions

Evidence notes

The CVE record and source item provide details on the vulnerability, affected products, and vendor advisory. The vulnerability is a heap-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office Excel that allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. The CVE record was published on 2026-10-13T19:00:38.048Z and has not been modified since then. The source item provides additional information on the vulnerability and affected products. However, the exact scope of affected products and

Sources and references

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.