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TI-2020-12943 Aliases CVE-2020-16955GHSA-hfw2-mqmp-j26q

Microsoft Office Click-to-Run Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

Priority MEDIUM 42Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
None
User interaction
Required
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.

Summary

<p>An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists in the way that Microsoft Office Click-to-Run (C2R) AppVLP handles certain files. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could elevate privileges.</p> <p>To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to convince a user to open a specially crafted file.</p> <p>The security update addresses the vulnerability by correcting how Microsoft Office Click-to-Run (C2R) components handle these files.</p>

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.03482 89th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Microsoft Office 2013 Click-to-Run (C2R) (Microsoft): 15.0.5571.1000Microsoft Office 2019 (Microsoft): https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases+1 more product

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Total

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
MicrosoftMicrosoft Office 2013 Click-to-Run (C2R)15.0.0.0 to before 15.0.5571.100015.0.5571.1000Patch availableCNA
MicrosoftMicrosoft Office 201919.0.0 to before https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleaseshttps://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleasesPatch availableCNA
MicrosoftMicrosoft 365 Apps for Enterprise16.0.1 to before https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleaseshttps://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleasesPatch availableCNA
  • Microsoft Office 2013 Click-to-Run (C2R) VendorMicrosoft Affected 15.0.0.0 to before 15.0.5571.1000 Fixed in 15.0.5571.1000 Patch available CNA
  • Microsoft Office 2019 VendorMicrosoft Affected 19.0.0 to before https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases Fixed in https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases Patch available CNA
  • Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise VendorMicrosoft Affected 16.0.1 to before https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases Fixed in https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 3

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:365_apps:-:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:*not specified by NVDVulnerableMicrosoft
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2013:*:*:*:click-to-run:*:*:*2013VulnerableMicrosoft
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2019:*:*:*:*:-:*:*2019VulnerableMicrosoft
  • cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:365_apps:-:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Vulnerable ·Microsoft
  • cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2013:*:*:*:click-to-run:*:*:* Versions 2013 Vulnerable ·Microsoft
  • cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2019:*:*:*:*:-:*:* Versions 2019 Vulnerable ·Microsoft

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA Microsoft Office 2013 Click-to-Run (C2R) (Microsoft) Fixed in 15.0.5571.1000
  • Fix · CNA Microsoft Office 2019 (Microsoft) Fixed in https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
  • Fix · CNA Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise (Microsoft) Fixed in https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-16955
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-hfw2-mqmp-j26q

References

Patch 1

  • TI-2024-14173 Microsoft Outlook Remote Code Execution Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2023-09240 Microsoft Outlook Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2024-25471 Microsoft Project Remote Code Execution Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2023-17652 Microsoft Outlook Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
  • TI-2026-17368 Microsoft Word Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
  • TI-2026-17363 Microsoft Office Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
See all 935 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences