CVE-2026-21514
Published: February 10, 2026
Official Description
Microsoft Office Word contains a reliance on untrusted inputs in a security decision vulnerability that could allow an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
CISA KEV Advisory
Microsoft Office Word Reliance on Untrusted Inputs in a Security Decision Vulnerability
Microsoft Office Word contains a reliance on untrusted inputs in a security decision vulnerability that could allow an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally.
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Risk Analysis
This vulnerability in Microsoft Office Word allows an authorized attacker to elevate privileges locally by relying on untrusted inputs. With a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH), this flaw is critical, especially since it has been confirmed as exploited in the wild by CISA, indicating a significant and immediate threat. The low EPSS score of 0.02151 suggests that while actively exploited, the overall likelihood of exploitation might be considered low by some metrics, but its presence in KEV overrides this.
This vulnerability is actively being exploited in the wild, as confirmed by its inclusion in CISA's KEV catalog. The attack vector is local, requiring user interaction to trigger the exploit.
Organizations should apply the latest security updates for Microsoft Office Word to address this vulnerability. Implementing robust input validation and user education on handling untrusted inputs can also help reduce risk.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2026-21514 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.
CISA has added CVE-2026-21514 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.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
News & Research Mentioning CVE-2026-21514
CISA has added six new vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog, based on evidence of active exploitation. CVE-2026-21510 Microsoft Windows Shell Protection Mechanism Failure Vulnerability CVE-2026-21513 Microsoft MSHTML Framework Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability CVE-2026-21514 Microsoft Office Word Reliance on Untrusted Inputs in a Security Decision Vulnerability CVE-2026-21519 Microsoft Windows Type Confusion Vulnerability CVE-2026-21525 Microsoft Windows NULL Pointer Dereference Vulnerability CVE-2026-21533 Windows Remote Desktop Services Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability These types of vulnerabilities are frequent attack vectors for malicious cyber actors and pose significant risks to the federal enterprise. Bi [xlite_meta score:53 src:CISA Alerts xlite_fp:88d5ff4976309c17f8264912552cef85549f24eb7de38b00c6011d2454de9f37]
All References (2)
Quick Facts
Known Threat Actors
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2026-21514 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