CVE-2025-24083: Microsoft 365 Apps RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-24083 Overview

CVE-2025-24083 is an untrusted pointer dereference vulnerability in Microsoft Office that allows an unauthorized attacker to execute arbitrary code locally. The flaw is classified under [CWE-822] (Untrusted Pointer Dereference) and affects multiple Office product lines, including Microsoft 365 Apps, Microsoft Office 2016/2019, and the Long-Term Servicing Channel releases for 2021 and 2024. Successful exploitation requires user interaction, typically opening a malicious document, and grants the attacker the ability to run code in the context of the current user. Microsoft addressed the issue in the March 2025 Patch Tuesday release.

Critical Impact
Attackers who convince a user to open a crafted Office document can execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the logged-in user, leading to full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected host.

Affected Products

Microsoft 365 Apps (Enterprise, x86 and x64)
Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019 (x86 and x64)
Microsoft Office Long-Term Servicing Channel 2021 and 2024 (Windows and macOS)

Discovery Timeline

2025-03-11 - CVE-2025-24083 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2025-03-11 - Microsoft publishes security update guide for CVE-2025-24083
2025-07-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-24083

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in Microsoft Office's handling of internal pointer values when parsing structured document content. Office dereferences a pointer that originates from attacker-controlled data without validating that the address points to a legitimate, initialized object. When the dereference occurs, code execution flow is diverted into memory regions that the attacker can influence. The CWE-822 classification confirms the root issue: an untrusted pointer is treated as if it were a trusted reference to a valid object.

Because the attack vector is local and requires user interaction, exploitation typically depends on social engineering. An attacker delivers a malicious Office document through email, file share, or web download. When the victim opens the file, Office parses the embedded structure and triggers the dereference. The resulting code runs with the user's privileges, providing a foothold suitable for persistence, credential theft, or lateral movement.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper validation of pointer values read from document data. Office trusts a pointer field that an attacker can populate inside a crafted file. When the application uses that field to read or invoke an object, control transfers to attacker-chosen memory. The flaw aligns with classic [CWE-822] patterns seen in legacy Office binary formats and embedded object handlers.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local with required user interaction. An attacker crafts a malicious document containing the manipulated pointer field. Delivery channels include phishing email attachments, malicious links to documents hosted on cloud storage, and removable media. Preview pane handling and Protected View settings determine whether the parsing path that contains the flaw is reached. The vulnerability does not require elevated privileges to trigger and produces code execution in the user's security context.

No verified public proof-of-concept code is available for this issue. The vulnerability is described in prose without exploit code; refer to the Microsoft Security Update Guide for CVE-2025-24083 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24083

Indicators of Compromise

Office processes such as winword.exe, excel.exe, or powerpnt.exe spawning command interpreters like cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or wscript.exe
Unexpected child processes or DLL loads originating from Office applications immediately after a document is opened
Outbound network connections from Office processes to untrusted hosts following document parsing
Crash dumps or Windows Error Reporting events tied to Office binaries referencing access violations during file parsing

Detection Strategies

Hunt for Office application process trees that include scripting engines, LOLBins, or remote download utilities such as certutil.exe or bitsadmin.exe
Inspect documents arriving from external senders for embedded objects, OLE streams, and unusual structured storage entries
Correlate endpoint identification telemetry with mail gateway logs to identify recipients of suspicious Office files

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable Microsoft Defender Attack Surface Reduction rules that block Office applications from creating child processes and injecting into other processes
Collect Sysmon process creation, image load, and file creation events from endpoints running Office
Forward Office telemetry to a centralized analytics platform and alert on anomalous behavior following document opens

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24083

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the Microsoft March 2025 security updates that address CVE-2025-24083 across all Office channels, including 365 Apps, Office 2016/2019, and LTSC 2021/2024
Inventory endpoints to confirm Office build numbers match the patched versions documented in the Microsoft Security Update Guide
Restrict opening of Office documents from untrusted sources and block macro-enabled and legacy binary formats at mail and proxy gateways where feasible

Patch Information

Microsoft released the official fix as part of the March 11, 2025 security update cycle. Administrators should consult the Microsoft Security Update Guide for CVE-2025-24083 for the exact patch identifiers and build numbers that apply to each Office SKU. Update Microsoft 365 Apps through the Click-to-Run channel and deploy the corresponding Office 2016, 2019, and LTSC security updates via Windows Update, WSUS, Microsoft Update Catalog, or your endpoint management platform.

Workarounds

Enforce Protected View and Office Application Guard for documents sourced from the internet, email attachments, and unsafe locations
Disable preview handlers for Office formats in Windows Explorer and Outlook to prevent automatic parsing of untrusted files
Deploy Attack Surface Reduction rules that block child process creation and executable content from Office applications until patches are deployed

bash

# Configuration example: enable ASR rule blocking Office child process creation
Set-MpPreference -AttackSurfaceReductionRules_Ids D4F940AB-401B-4EFC-AADC-AD5F3C50688A `
                 -AttackSurfaceReductionRules_Actions Enabled