Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Published Aug 17, 2020
8.8
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 4.21%
Description
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Excel software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could run arbitrary code in the context of the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker could take control of the affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights. Exploitation of the vulnerability requires that a user open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Microsoft Excel. In an email attack scenario, an attacker could exploit the vulnerability by sending the specially crafted file to the user and convincing the user to open the file. In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a website (or leverage a compromised website that accepts or hosts user-provided content) containing a specially crafted file designed to exploit the vulnerability. An attacker would have no way to force users to visit the website. Instead, an attacker would have to convince users to click a link, typically by way of an enticement in an email or instant message, and then convince them to open the specially crafted file. The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Excel handles objects in memory.
Affected products
-
- Version 13.0.0.0StatusaffectedConstraints<publication
- Version
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | Microsoft Excel 2010 Service Pack 2 | n/a |
|
No data.
No Red Hat product state for this CVE.
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
2 other sources (CVE.org, NVD) ▾
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:P/RL:O/RC:C
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 3, 2026.
Score over time
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (30 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2026 | 4.21% (0.04205) | 90.67th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 4.21% (0.04205) | 89.64th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 15.64% (0.15641) | 94.13th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 38.34% (0.38340) | 95.82th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 15.64% (0.15641) | 94.19th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 2.25% (0.02251) | 89.97th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 6, 2024 | 1.81% (0.01808) | 88.18th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 4, 2024 | 1.82% (0.01823) | 88.13th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jan 10, 2024 | 1.29% (0.01293) | 84.37th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jan 5, 2024 | 1.27% (0.01266) | 84.17th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jan 4, 2024 | 1.72% (0.01716) | 86.46th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Dec 21, 2023 | 4.52% (0.04524) | 91.64th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Dec 4, 2023 | 5.02% (0.05018) | 91.99th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Nov 4, 2023 | 4.88% (0.04885) | 91.89th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Oct 4, 2023 | 5.65% (0.05647) | 92.39th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Sep 20, 2023 | 7.17% (0.07174) | 93.22th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 24, 2023 | 5.49% (0.05488) | 92.18th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 29, 2023 | 5.22% (0.05216) | 91.82th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| May 3, 2023 | 6.42% (0.06417) | 92.59th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 24, 2023 | 5.25% (0.05252) | 91.81th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 4.93% (0.04927) | 91.53th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.88% (0.01875) | 77.30th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Mar 2, 2023 | 1.88% (0.01875) | 77.29th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.88% (0.01875) | 75.28th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Mar 5, 2022 | 37.71% (0.37706) | 97.24th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 35.77% (0.35770) | 96.96th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 32.21% (0.32208) | 97.60th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 32.21% (0.32208) | 97.57th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 9.57% (0.09575) | 94.86th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 9.57% (0.09575) | 0.00th | v1 |
No CWE recorded.
References (1)
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-1504 x_refsource_MISCPatchVendor Advisory
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2020-1504 | x_refsource_MISCPatchVendor Advisory |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.