cbcvebase.
CVE-2018-8504
published 2018-10-10

CVE-2018-8504: A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Word software when the software fails to properly handle objects in Protected View, aka "Microsoft…

PriorityP260high8.8CVSS 3.0
AVNACLPRNUIRSUCHIHAH
EPSS
18.67%
96.9th percentile
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Word software when the software fails to properly handle objects in Protected View, aka "Microsoft Word Remote Code Execution Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft SharePoint Server, Office 365 ProPlus, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word.

Affected

43 ranges· showing 25
VendorProductVersion rangeFixed in
microsoftmicrosoft_office
microsoftmicrosoft_office
microsoftmicrosoft_office
microsoftmicrosoft_office
microsoftmicrosoft_office
microsoftmicrosoft_office
microsoftmicrosoft_office
microsoftmicrosoft_office
microsoftmicrosoft_office
microsoftmicrosoft_office
microsoftmicrosoft_sharepoint_server
microsoftmicrosoft_word
microsoftmicrosoft_word
microsoftmicrosoft_word
microsoftmicrosoft_word
microsoftmicrosoft_word
microsoftmicrosoft_word
microsoftmicrosoft_word
microsoftoffice
microsoftoffice
microsoftoffice
microsoftoffice
microsoftoffice
microsoftoffice
microsoftoffice_web_apps

Detection & IOCsextracted from sources · hover to see the quote

  • Attack vector requires a user to open a specially crafted file with an affected version of Microsoft Office Word; the Preview Pane is NOT an attack vector — detection should focus on file-open events, not preview actions.
  • The vulnerability is triggered specifically when Microsoft Word fails to handle objects in Protected View — monitor for Word processes spawning child processes or executing code while a document is open in Protected View (PROTECTED_VIEW sandbox escape).
  • Email-based delivery is a primary attack scenario — hunt for Word documents delivered as email attachments that trigger Protected View, followed by anomalous child process creation under WINWORD.EXE.
  • Web-based delivery is a secondary attack scenario — monitor for WINWORD.EXE spawned from browser processes opening a specially crafted file hosted on attacker-controlled or compromised websites.
  • Exploitation likelihood is rated 'More Likely' for both latest and older software releases — prioritise detection and patching across all supported Office versions.
  • ·The Preview Pane is explicitly NOT an attack vector; detection rules that fire on preview-pane activity will produce false positives for this CVE.
  • ·Affected products span multiple Office families (SharePoint Server, Office 365 ProPlus / Click-to-Run, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word) — ensure detection and patch coverage is not scoped only to standalone Word installs.
  • ·As of the advisory publication date, the vulnerability had NOT been publicly disclosed or exploited in the wild, but exploitation was rated 'More Likely' — treat as high-priority pre-emptive detection.

CVSS provenance

nvdv3.08.8HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvdv2.09.3CRITICALAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
vendor_msrc8.8HIGH
Stop checking back — get the weekly exploitation signal.

Every Monday: what got weaponized or added to CISA KEV in the last seven days — each CVE cross-linked to its PoC, Nuclei template, and detection rule. Free, one email a week, unsubscribe in one click.