Untrusted Search Path Vulnerability in Microsoft Office
CVE-2026-20943

7HIGH

Key Information:

Vendor

Microsoft
Status
Microsoft Sharepoint Server 2019
Microsoft Office 2016
Microsoft Sharepoint Enterprise Server 2016
Microsoft Sharepoint Server Subscription Edition
Vendor
CVE Published:
13 January 2026

What is CVE-2026-20943?

The untrusted search path vulnerability in Microsoft Office presents a significant security risk by enabling unauthorized attackers to execute code on affected systems. This flaw allows an attacker to manipulate the search path used by the application, leading to the execution of malicious code without user consent, potentially compromising the system's integrity. Organizations using vulnerable versions of Microsoft Office should prioritize applying the latest security patches to mitigate risk and protect sensitive information.

Affected Version(s)

Microsoft Office 2016 32-bit Systems 16.0.0 < 16.0.5535.1000

Microsoft Office Deployment Tool 1.0 < 16.0.19426.20170

Microsoft SharePoint Enterprise Server 2016 x64-based Systems 16.0.0 < 16.0.5535.1001

References

https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE...
vendor-advisorypatch

CVSS V3.1

Score:
7
Severity:
HIGH
Confidentiality:
High
Integrity:
High
Availability:
High
Attack Vector:
Local
Attack Complexity:
High
Privileges Required:
None
User Interaction:
Required
Scope:
Unchanged

Timeline

  • Vulnerability published

  • Vulnerability Reserved

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