CVE-2024-38226
Published: September 10, 2024
Official Description
Microsoft Publisher contains a protection mechanism failure vulnerability that allows attacker to bypass Office macro policies used to block untrusted or malicious files.
CISA KEV Advisory
Microsoft Publisher Protection Mechanism Failure Vulnerability
Microsoft Publisher contains a protection mechanism failure vulnerability that allows attacker to bypass Office macro policies used to block untrusted or malicious files.
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2024-38226 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
CISA has added CVE-2024-38226 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming active exploitation in the wild. U.S. federal agencies are required to patch this within the mandated timeframe, and all organizations should treat remediation as urgent.
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
All References (2)
Quick Facts
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2024-38226 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
- !CISA KEV: Federal agencies must patch per BOD 22-01 timeline
- !Active exploitation confirmed — treat as P1