CVE-2026-97738

Summary

A use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Office Excel allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code when a malicious file is opened, potentially leading to full system compromise.

Exploitability

Exploitation requires tricking a user into opening a specially crafted Excel file, making it moderately difficult but achievable through social engineering or phishing campaigns.

Blast radius

If exploited, this vulnerability could affect thousands of users across Microsoft 365 and Office applications, potentially leading to widespread data breaches and system compromises.

Detection

No reliable host or network indicator is derivable from the published description.

Prioritized remediation

Deploy the Microsoft Security Update KB5042819 immediately to all affected systems running Office 2021, Office 2024, or Office Online Server.

Analysis generated locally by garnet-coder (no data left the box). AI-assisted — verify against primary sources before acting.