CVE-2024-38226
published 2024-09-10CVE-2024-38226: Microsoft Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
PriorityP179high7.3CVSS 3.1
AVLACLPRLUIRSUCHIHAH
KEVITW
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilitydue 2024-10-01
Exploited in the wild
EPSS
2.67%
84.1th percentile
Microsoft Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
Affected
10 ranges
| Vendor | Product | Version range | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| microsoft | microsoft_office_2019 | >= 19.0.0 < https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases | https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases |
| microsoft | microsoft_office_ltsc_2021 | >= 16.0.1 < https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases | https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases |
| microsoft | microsoft_publisher_2016 | >= 16.0.0 < 16.0.5465.1001 | 16.0.5465.1001 |
| microsoft | office_long_term_servicing_channel | — | — |
| microsoft | publisher | — | — |
| msrc | microsoft_office_2019_for_32-bit_editions | — | — |
| msrc | microsoft_office_2019_for_64-bit_editions | — | — |
| msrc | microsoft_office_ltsc_2021_for_32-bit_editions | — | — |
| msrc | microsoft_office_ltsc_2021_for_64-bit_editions | — | — |
| msrc | microsoft_publisher_2016 | — | — |
Detection & IOCsextracted from sources · hover to see the quote
- →CVE-2024-38226 is exploited in the wild via a specially crafted Microsoft Publisher file that bypasses Office macro policies (Mark of the Web / macro execution controls). Detection should focus on Publisher files opened from web-downloaded sources that execute macros despite policy blocks. ↗
- →The attack vector requires social engineering to lure a victim into downloading and opening a specially crafted Publisher file from a website, triggering a local attack. Monitor for Publisher (.pub) files downloaded from the internet being opened and spawning child processes or executing macros. ↗
- →The Preview Pane is NOT an attack vector for CVE-2024-38226; exploitation requires the victim to fully open the malicious Publisher file. ↗
- →CVE-2024-38226 is confirmed actively exploited (Exploit Status: Exploited:Yes). Prioritize detection on endpoints running unpatched Microsoft Publisher versions prior to the September 2024 Click-to-Run update. ↗
- ·The vulnerability is a protection mechanism failure — it bypasses Office macro policies. Existing macro-blocking Group Policy or WDAC rules may be silently circumvented on unpatched Publisher installs, meaning policy enforcement logs alone are insufficient to confirm safety. ↗
- ·Remediation is delivered via Click-to-Run update mechanism, not a traditional MSI/Windows Update patch. Environments that restrict or delay Click-to-Run updates may remain exposed even if Windows Update is current. ↗
CVSS provenance
nvdv3.17.3HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
vulncheck7.3HIGH
cisa7.3HIGH
vendor_msrc7.3HIGH
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CISA
Microsoft Publisher Protection Mechanism Failure Vulnerability
cisa·2024-09-10·CVSS 7.3
CVE-2024-38226 [HIGH] CWE-693 Microsoft Publisher Protection Mechanism Failure Vulnerability
Vulnerability: Microsoft Publisher Protection Mechanism Failure Vulnerability
Affected: Microsoft Publisher
Microsoft Publisher contains a protection mechanism failure vulnerability that allows attacker to bypass Office macro policies used to block untrusted or malicious files.
Required Action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Notes: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-38226; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38226
Remediation Due Date: 2024-10-01
Microsoft
Microsoft Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
vendor_msrc·2024-09-10·CVSS 7.3
CVE-2024-38226 [HIGH] CWE-693 Microsoft Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
Microsoft Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
FAQ: What kind of security feature could be bypassed by successfully exploiting this vulnerability?
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could bypass Office macro policies used to block untrusted or malicious files.
FAQ: Is the Preview Pane an attack vector for this vulnerability?
No, the Preview Pane is not an attack vector.
FAQ: According to the CVSS metric, the attack vector is local (AV:L), privileges are required (PR:L) and user interaction is required (UI:R). How could an attacker exploit this security feature bypass vulnerability?
The attack itself is carried out locally by a user with authentication to the targeted system. An authenticated attacker could exploit the vulnerability by convincing a victi
GHSA
GHSA-rf2v-qj9w-x393: Microsoft Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
ghsa_unreviewed·2024-09-10
CVE-2024-38226 [HIGH] CWE-693 GHSA-rf2v-qj9w-x393: Microsoft Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
Microsoft Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
VulnCheck
Microsoft Publisher Protection Mechanism Failure Vulnerability
vulncheck·2024·CVSS 7.3
CVE-2024-38226 [HIGH] CWE-693 Microsoft Publisher Protection Mechanism Failure Vulnerability
Microsoft Publisher Protection Mechanism Failure Vulnerability
Microsoft Publisher contains a protection mechanism failure vulnerability that allows attacker to bypass Office macro policies used to block untrusted or malicious files.
Affected: Microsoft Publisher
Required Action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Exploitation References: https://api.msrc.microsoft.com/cvrf/v3.0/cvrf/2024-Sep; https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-38226; https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json; https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2024/9/10/the-september-2024-security-update-review; https://www.enisa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2025-10/ENISA%20Threat%20Landsc
No detection rules found.
No public exploits indexed.
Bleepingcomputer
Microsoft September 2024 Patch Tuesday fixes 4 zero-days, 79 flaws
blogs_bleepingcomputer·2024-09-10·CVSS 7.8
[HIGH] Microsoft September 2024 Patch Tuesday fixes 4 zero-days, 79 flaws
## Microsoft September 2024 Patch Tuesday fixes 4 zero-days, 79 flaws
## Lawrence Abrams
30 Elevation of Privilege Vulnerabilities
4 Security Feature Bypass Vulnerabilities
23 Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities
11 Information Disclosure Vulnerabilities
8 Denial of Service Vulnerabilities
3 Spoofing Vulnerabilities
To learn more about the non-security updates released today, you can review our dedicated articles on the new Windows 11 KB5043076 cumulative update and Windows 10 KB5043064 update .
## Four zero-days disclosed
This month's Patch Tuesday fixes three actively exploited, one of which was publicly disclosed, and another that reintroduces old CVEs so is marked as exploited.
Microsoft classifies a zero-day flaw as one that is publicly disclosed or actively exploited whil
Krebs
Bug Left Some Windows PCs Dangerously Unpatched
blogs_krebs·2024-09-10·CVSS 7.3
CVE-2024-43491 [HIGH] Bug Left Some Windows PCs Dangerously Unpatched
Microsoft Corp. today released updates to fix at least 79 security vulnerabilities in its Windows operating systems and related software, including multiple flaws that are already showing up in active attacks. Microsoft also corrected a critical bug that has caused some Windows 10 PCs to remain dangerously unpatched against actively exploited vulnerabilities for several months this year.
By far the most curious security weakness Microsoft disclosed today has the snappy name of CVE-2024-43491 , which Microsoft says is a vulnerability that led to the rolling back of fixes for some vulnerabilities affecting “optional components” on certain Windows 10 systems produced in 2015. Those include Windows 10 systems that installed the monthly security update for Windows released in March 2024, or ot
Trendmicro
The September 2024 Security Update Review
blogs_trendmicro·2024-09-10
The September 2024 Security Update Review
# The September 2024 Security Update Review
Get the September 2023 security update and review.
By: Zero Day Initiative
2024/09/10
Read time: ( words)
Save to Folio
We’ve reached September and the pumpkin spice floats in the air. While they aren’t pumpkin-spiced, Microsoft and Adobe have released their latest spicy security patches – including some zesty 0-days. Take a break from your regular activities and join us as we review the details of their latest security alerts. If you’d rather watch the full video recap covering the entire release, you can check it out here:
Adobe Patches for September 2024
For September, Adobe released eight bulletins covering 28 CVEs in Adobe Acrobat and Reader, ColdFusion, Photoshop, Media Encoder, Audition, After Effects, Premier Pro, and Illustrator.
Qualys
Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, September 2024 Security Update Review
blogs_qualys·2024-09-10
Microsoft and Adobe Patch Tuesday, September 2024 Security Update Review
## Table of Contents
Microsoft Patch Tuesday for September 2024
Adobe Patches for September 2024
Zero-day Vulnerabilities Patched in September Patch Tuesday Edition
Critical Severity Vulnerabilities Patched in September Patch Tuesday Edition
Other Microsoft Vulnerability Highlights
Microsoft Release Summary
Discover and Prioritize Vulnerabilities in Vulnerability Management, Detection & Response (VMDR)
Rapid Response with Patch Management (PM)
Qualys Monthly Webinar Series
Microsoft’s September Patch Tuesday updates are out, addressing a range of vulnerabilities across multiple products. Let’s dive into the key updates and their implications.
## Microsoft Patch Tuesday for September 2024
Microsoft Patch’s Tuesday, September 2024 edition addressed 79 vulnerabilities, including s
Talos
Four zero-days included in group of 79 vulnerabilities Microsoft discloses, including one with 9.8 severity score
blogs_talos·2024-09-10·CVSS 7.8
CVE-2024-38226 [HIGH] Four zero-days included in group of 79 vulnerabilities Microsoft discloses, including one with 9.8 severity score
Microsoft disclosed four vulnerabilities that are actively being exploited in the wild as part of its regular Patch Tuesday security update this week in what’s become a regular occurrence for the company’s patches in 2024.
Two of the zero-day vulnerabilities, CVE-2024-38226 and CVE-2024-38014, exist in the Microsoft Publisher software and Windows Installer, respectively. Last month, Microsoft disclosed six vulnerabilities in its Patch Tuesday that were already being exploited in the wild.
In all, September’s monthly round of patches from Microsoft included 79 vulnerabilities, seven of which are considered critical. In addition to the zero-days disclosed Tuesday, Microsoft also fixed a security issue that had already been publicly disclosed: CVE-2024-38217, a vulnerability in Windows Mark
Qualys
Microsoft & Adobe September 2024 Security Update Review | Qualys
blogs_qualys·2024-09-10
Microsoft & Adobe September 2024 Security Update Review | Qualys
#### Table of Contents
- Microsoft Patch Tuesday for September 2024
- Adobe Patches for September 2024
- Zero-day Vulnerabilities Patched in September Patch Tuesday Edition
- Critical Severity Vulnerabilities Patched in September Patch Tuesday Edition
- Other Microsoft Vulnerability Highlights
- Microsoft Release Summary
- Discover and Prioritize Vulnerabilities in Vulnerability Management, Detection & Response (VMDR)
- Rapid Response with Patch Management (PM)
- Qualys Monthly Webinar Series
Microsoft’s September Patch Tuesday updates are out, addressing a range of vulnerabilities across multiple products. Let’s dive into the key updates and their implications.
## Microsoft Patch Tuesday for September 2024
Microsoft Patch’s Tuesday, September 2024 edition addressed 79 vulnerabilities,
Krebs
Bug Left Some Windows PCs Dangerously Unpatched
blogs_krebs·2024-09-10·CVSS 7.3
CVE-2024-43491 [HIGH] Bug Left Some Windows PCs Dangerously Unpatched
Microsoft Corp. today released updates to fix at least 79 security vulnerabilities in its Windows operating systems and related software, including multiple flaws that are already showing up in active attacks. Microsoft also corrected a critical bug that has caused some Windows 10 PCs to remain dangerously unpatched against actively exploited vulnerabilities for several months this year.
By far the most curious security weakness Microsoft disclosed today has the snappy name of CVE-2024-43491, which Microsoft says is a vulnerability that led to the rolling back of fixes for some vulnerabilities affecting “optional components” on certain Windows 10 systems produced in 2015. Those include Windows 10 systems that installed the monthly security update for Windows released in March 2024, or oth
Talos
Four zero-days included in group of 79 vulnerabilities Microsoft discloses, including one with 9.8 severity score
blogs_talos·2024-09-10·CVSS 7.8
CVE-2024-38226 [HIGH] Four zero-days included in group of 79 vulnerabilities Microsoft discloses, including one with 9.8 severity score
## Four zero-days included in group of 79 vulnerabilities Microsoft discloses, including one with 9.8 severity score
Microsoft disclosed four vulnerabilities that are actively being exploited in the wild as part of its regular Patch Tuesday security update this week in what’s become a regular occurrence for the company’s patches in 2024.
Two of the zero-day vulnerabilities, CVE-2024-38226 and CVE-2024-38014, exist in the Microsoft Publisher software and Windows Installer, respectively. Last month, Microsoft disclosed six vulnerabilities in its Patch Tuesday that were already being exploited in the wild.
In all, September’s monthly round of patches from Microsoft included 79 vulnerabilities, seven of which are considered critical. In addition to the zero-days disclosed Tuesday, Microsoft
Trendmicro
The September 2024 Security Update Review
blogs_trendmicro·2024-09-10·CVSS 7.8
[HIGH] The September 2024 Security Update Review
## The September 2024 Security Update Review
Get the September 2023 security update and review.
By: Zero Day Initiative 2024/09/10 Read time: ( words)
Save to Folio
We’ve reached September and the pumpkin spice floats in the air. While they aren’t pumpkin-spiced, Microsoft and Adobe have released their latest spicy security patches – including some zesty 0-days. Take a break from your regular activities and join us as we review the details of their latest security alerts. If you’d rather watch the full video recap covering the entire release, you can check it out here:
CVE
Title
Severity
CVSS
Public
Exploited
XI
Type
CVE-2024-38217
Windows Mark of the Web Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability
Important
5.4
Yes
Yes
0
SFB
CVE-2024-43491 †
Microsoft Windows Update Remote
Tenable
Microsoft’s September 2024 Patch Tuesday Addresses 79 CVEs (CVE-2024-43491)
blogs_tenable·2024-09-10·CVSS 9.8
[CRITICAL] Microsoft’s September 2024 Patch Tuesday Addresses 79 CVEs (CVE-2024-43491)
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Crowdstrike
September 2024 Patch Tuesday: Updates and Analysis
blogs_crowdstrike·CVSS 7.5
CVE-2026-20929 [HIGH] September 2024 Patch Tuesday: Updates and Analysis
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2024-09-10
Published
2024-09-10
Added to CISA KEV
Exploited in the wild