CVE-2026-40367: Microsoft Word Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Overview

Severity
High (CVSS 8.4)
CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
Category
Remote Code Execution
Exploit Status
Not Exploited
Exploitation Likelihood
Unlikely
Patch Tuesday
2026-May
Released
2026-05-12

Description

Untrusted pointer dereference in Microsoft Office Word allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.

FAQ

Is the Preview Pane an attack vector for this vulnerability? Yes, the Preview Pane is an attack vector. There are multiple update packages available for some of the affected software. Do I need to install all the updates listed in the Security Updates table for the software? Yes. Customers should apply all updates offered for the software installed on their systems. If multiple updates apply, they can be installed in any order. According to the CVSS metric, the attack vector is local (AV:L). Why does the CVE title indicate that this is a remote code execution? The word Remote in the title refers to the location of the attacker. This type of exploit is sometimes referred to as Arbitrary Code Execution (ACE). The attack itself is carried out locally. This means an attacker or victim needs to execute code from the local machine to exploit the vulnerability.

Affected Products (15)

Microsoft Office

  • Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016
  • Microsoft SharePoint Server 2019
  • Microsoft Office 2019 for 32-bit editions
  • Microsoft Office 2019 for 64-bit editions
  • Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise for 32-bit Systems
  • Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise for 64-bit Systems
  • Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2021
  • Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 64-bit editions
  • Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 32-bit editions
  • Microsoft SharePoint Server Subscription Edition
  • Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 for 32-bit editions
  • Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 for 64-bit editions
  • Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2024
  • Microsoft Word 2016 (32-bit edition)
  • Microsoft Word 2016 (64-bit edition)

Security Updates (7)

Acknowledgments

0ccbbf129444eb66344ccafb92b00df4

Revision History

  • 2026-05-12: Information published.