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HighCISA KEVExploited in the wildPublic exploit

Microsoft Word RTF Memory Corruption RCE

IdentifiersCVE-2014-1761CWE-119

CVE-2014-1761 is a memory-corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Word and other Office components that process Rich Text Format (RTF) content. A remote attacker can craft a malicious RTF document such that, when it is opened or otherwise processed by a vulnerable Word/Office component, memory corruption occurs, leading to arbitrary code execution or a crash. The affected products listed in the provided content include Microsoft Word 2003 SP3, 2007 SP3, 2010 SP1/SP2, 2013, and 2013 RT; Word Viewer; Office Compatibility Pack SP3; Office for Mac 2011; Word Automation Services on SharePoint Server 2010 SP1/SP2 and 2013; Office Web Apps 2010 SP1/SP2; and Office Web Apps Server 2013. The vulnerability was exploited in the wild as a zero-day in March 2014, notably via spear-phishing campaigns using crafted RTF attachments.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation can allow remote code execution in the security context of the user opening the malicious RTF document, enabling malware installation, payload staging, data theft, and further compromise of the host. The provided content also states the flaw can cause denial of service through memory corruption if exploitation does not achieve code execution. In practical campaigns, this vulnerability was used for initial execution via phishing attachments by multiple threat actors.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

Until patching is complete, reduce exposure by blocking or quarantining RTF attachments at email gateways, disabling or restricting opening of RTF files from untrusted sources, using Protected View and similar document isolation features where available, and preventing Office/Word-related document handlers from launching child processes or downloading payloads via application control/EDR policy. Limit use of Word Viewer and legacy Office components, and restrict server-side document conversion/rendering services to trusted inputs only. User awareness against spear-phishing attachments also reduces exposure, but is not a substitute for patching.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply Microsoft's security updates for the affected Office, Word Viewer, Office Compatibility Pack, Office for Mac, SharePoint Word Automation Services, and Office Web Apps products. Upgrade unsupported Office versions to supported, fully patched releases. Ensure all systems that can render or process RTF content, including server-side Office/SharePoint components, receive the vendor fix. Because the vulnerability was exploited in the wild, patching should be prioritized on user workstations and any exposed document-processing infrastructure.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

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VALID 0 / 0 TOTALView more in app

No public exploit code observed for this vulnerability.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType
Microsoft CorporationOfficeapplication
Microsoft CorporationOffice Compatibility Packapplication
Microsoft CorporationOffice Web Appsapplication
Microsoft CorporationOffice Web Apps Serverapplication
Microsoft CorporationSharepoint Serverapplication
Microsoft CorporationWordapplication
Microsoft CorporationWord Viewerapplication

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

What this page doesn’t show

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Exposure mapping

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Threat actor evidence3

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware3

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures1

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity

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