Microsoft recently published a security advisory warning of a newly discovered zero-day vulnerability in Office applications. The vulnerability, designated CVE-2026-21509, is classified as “high” risk.
According to the advisory, this vulnerability can be exploited to bypass security features in various versions of Office, including Microsoft Office 2016, 2019, 2021 LTSC, and 2024 LTSC. Users are urged to install the emergency updates provided by Microsoft as soon as possible.
Microsoft explains that attackers can abuse this vulnerability to take control of COM/OLE controls, which are used for interaction between different Windows applications. No word on how exactly the attack works or what the consequences of such an attack would be.
Where to get the emergency updates
If you’re using a current version of Office (2021 LTSC or newer), you’ll receive the relevant security updates automatically. To be on the safe side, you may want to restart the installed applications. The build number of the updated Office version is 16.0.10417.20095.
Older versions of Office must be updated manually. You can obtain the necessary updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog. Here are the links for the Office 2016 update and Office 2019 update.
If you’re unable to update your Office for whatever reason, Microsoft offers an alternative (but more advanced) solution that involves editing the Windows Registry. You can find it under the “Mitigations” section on the security advisory warning for this vulnerability.
This articles is written by : Nermeen Nabil Khear Abdelmalak
All rights reserved to : USAGOLDMIES . www.usagoldmines.com
You can Enjoy surfing our website categories and read more content in many fields you may like .
Why USAGoldMines ?
USAGoldMines is a comprehensive website offering the latest in financial, crypto, and technical news. With specialized sections for each category, it provides readers with up-to-date market insights, investment trends, and technological advancements, making it a valuable resource for investors and enthusiasts in the fast-paced financial world.