CVE-2018-0853

Exploitation likely. EPSS gives it a 12% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. A vendor fix is available.

CVSS 3.03.3Low EPSS percentile96th12% chance in 30 days CISA KEVNot listedNo confirmed exploitation
No public exploit known FixVendor fixNo build named by the sources

Published 2018-02-15Updated 2024-11-21Sources: CVE.org, NVD

NVD CVE.org

What to do

The vendor has published a fix. Version details are below where the sources state them.

Microsoft Corporation Microsoft OfficeAffected: Microsoft Office 2010 SP2, Microsoft Office 2013 SP1 and RT SP1, Microsoft…Upgrade to: not statedStated by: CVE record

Versions as the sources state them. Full version matrix after sign-in

Steps

Written by AI from the record

Check whether your PCs use the affected Microsoft Office versions.
Ask your IT provider to install Microsoft’s security update for CVE-2018-0853; Microsoft has not provided one single fixed version number in the available advisory information.
Until updated, warn staff not to open unexpected Office documents, especially files received through unsolicited messages.

Vendor advisory Some work to apply

Check it yourselfA free OpenVAS check exists for this CVE. Run it against your hosts.Is your organisation exposed?Request an assessment to establish which checks fit your systems.

What it is

From the CVE record

Microsoft Office 2010 SP2, Microsoft Office 2013 SP1 and RT SP1, Microsoft Office 2016, and Microsoft Office 2016 Click-to-Run (C2R) allow an information disclosure vulnerability, due to how Office initializes the affected variable, aka "Microsoft Office Information Disclosure Vulnerability".

In plain language

Written by AI from the record

This affects Microsoft Office 2010 SP2, Microsoft Office 2013 SP1 and RT SP1, and Microsoft Office 2016 including Click-to-Run; it is a low-priority issue for most small businesses, but install Microsoft’s update if you still use these versions.

Microsoft Office information disclosure caused by improper initialization: a locally positioned attacker can induce a user to open a crafted document and disclose residual private data.

If you're affected

Private data exposure
Sensitive document fragments revealed
Employee privacy risk

What is it

This is a flaw that can let a specially prepared document expose private information left in your computer’s memory. Think of it like a document briefly showing scraps from another paper that should have been cleared off a desk.

Who is affected

This matters to you if your organization runs Microsoft Office on employee computers. Someone must get a user to open a specially prepared document, and the attacker needs local access to the computer.

How urgent is it

This is not known to be actively exploited, and there is no public exploit code on record. Treat it as routine maintenance: address it through your normal Office update process, with extra attention if staff regularly open documents from outside the business.

What to do — in detail

Confirm installed Office editions and update status on endpoints, then obtain and deploy the Microsoft security update referenced in the CVE-2018-0853 advisory. The available findings do not identify a single fixed version or branch-specific target version, so validate the applicable update with Microsoft or your Office management provider before rollout. If patching is delayed, restrict users from opening untrusted documents and use normal document-screening controls. No CISA KEV remediation deadline applies because this CVE is not listed in KEV. Monitor update deployment results and investigate reports of unexpected document behavior or possible disclosure of sensitive information.

Technical context

CVSS 3.3 (Low): CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N. The weakness is CWE-665, improper initialization, producing an information-disclosure condition through a crafted document or application interaction. Attack vector is local, authentication is not required, and user interaction is required. It is not in CISA KEV and no public exploit code is recorded. EPSS predicts 11.8% likelihood (96th percentile) with a flat trend; this is predictive data, not confirmation of exploitation.

This is a general assessment based on public vulnerability data. It does not account for your specific infrastructure — when in doubt, consult a security specialist.

Exploitation

Where each signal puts this CVE on the scale from published to confirmed exploited.

EPSS96th

CISA KEV

Not in the catalog. CISA has not confirmed exploitation.

Public exploits

No public exploit or proof of concept found in the sources we track.

EPSS

12% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, which ranks it in the 96th percentile of scored CVEs.

Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST.org. A probability, not a confirmation.

Lifecycle

23 events over 3142 days, from the signal feeds we watch.

2026-09-23EPSS band change0 → moderateepss band change
2026-09-21EPSS band changemoderate → 0epss band change
2026-09-06EPSS band change0 → moderateepss band change
2026-09-05EPSS band changemoderate → 0epss band change
2026-08-31EPSS band change0 → moderateepss band change
2026-08-29EPSS band changemoderate → low

Affected products

Microsoft Corporationcommercial · USaka microsoft
- Microsoft OfficeDesktop AppOn-premConsumer Software / productivity
microsoftcommercial · US
- officeDesktop AppConsumer Software / productivity

Technical detail

CVSS 3.0 vector

Open in the CVSS calculator

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

Scored 3.3 by NVD.

How it is reached

Attack Vector LocalRequires local access to the vulnerable system (e.g. local login, malicious file)
Attack Complexity LowNo special conditions — the attack can be reliably reproduced
Privileges Required NoneNo authentication required — anyone can exploit this
User Interaction RequiredA user must click a link, open a file, or perform some action

Scope

Scope UnchangedImpact is limited to the vulnerable component itself

Impact if exploited

Confidentiality LowSome restricted information is disclosed, but limited in scope
Integrity NoneNo integrity impact
Availability NoneNo availability impact