CVE-2012-2539
HighExploitedPublic exploitMicrosoft Word 2003 SP3, 2007 SP2 and SP3, and 2010 SP1; Word Viewer; Office Compatibility Pack SP2 and SP3; and Office Web Apps 2010 SP1 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via crafted RTF data, aka "Word RTF…
Published Dec 11, 2012 · Updated Apr 22, 2026
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2012-2539 is a high-severity vulnerability (CVSS 7.8 v3.1) affecting Office Compatibility Pack (Microsoft), Office Web Apps (Microsoft), Office Word Viewer (Microsoft) and 2 more products.
- It is exploited in the wild, listed in CISA KEV, Industry KEV feed, CIRCL KEV, ENISA EUVD since Jul 11, 2014. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 53% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
- No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
- Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is listed as exploited in the wild.
CVSS v3.1
7.8
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
53%
Higher than 98.9% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
Yes
4 catalog listings
Public exploit code
Available
Proof-of-concept or weaponized module
Get the full CVE-2012-2539 brief as a PDF
Every affected product and fixed release, exploitation status and a first 24 hours response checklist, emailed within minutes.
Description
Microsoft Word 2003 SP3, 2007 SP2 and SP3, and 2010 SP1; Word Viewer; Office Compatibility Pack SP2 and SP3; and Office Web Apps 2010 SP1 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via crafted RTF data, aka "Word RTF 'listoverridecount' Remote Code Execution Vulnerability."
Known-Exploited Catalog Listings
| Catalog | Added | Remediation due | Ransomware use |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA KEV | Mar 28, 2022 | Apr 18, 2022 | Not reported |
| Industry KEV feed | Jul 11, 2014 | Apr 18, 2022 | Not reported |
| CIRCL KEV | Mar 28, 2022 | Apr 18, 2022 | Not reported |
| ENISA EUVD | Mar 28, 2022 | n/a | Not reported |
Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Affected Products
9 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Office Compatibility PackMicrosoft | See advisory | n/a |
| Office Web AppsMicrosoft | 2010-sp1 | n/a |
| Office Word ViewerMicrosoft | See advisory | n/a |
| Sharepoint ServerMicrosoft | 2010 | n/a |
| WordMicrosoft | 2003-sp3, 2007-sp2, 2007-sp3, 2010-sp1 | n/a |
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Dec 11, 2012
Added to Industry KEV feed
Jul 11, 2014
Added to CISA KEV
Mar 28, 2022
Added to CIRCL KEV
Mar 28, 2022
Added to ENISA EUVD
Mar 28, 2022
Last updated
Apr 22, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write
References
- advisoryTA12-346A
- patchMS12-079
- exploitVulnCheck exploitation report
- exploitVulnCheck exploitation report
- exploitVulnCheck exploitation report
FAQ
Common Questions.
Microsoft Word 2003 SP3, 2007 SP2 and SP3, and 2010 SP1; Word Viewer; Office Compatibility Pack SP2 and SP3; and Office Web Apps 2010 SP1 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via crafted RTF data, aka "Word RTF 'listoverridecount' Remote Code Execution Vulne…
Affected: Office Compatibility Pack (Microsoft); Office Web Apps (Microsoft) versions 2010-sp1; Office Word Viewer (Microsoft), among others. The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is exploited in the wild, listed in CISA KEV, Industry KEV feed, CIRCL KEV, ENISA EUVD since Jul 11, 2014.
Yes. It was added on Mar 28, 2022 with a federal remediation due date of Apr 18, 2022.
Public exploit code is available.
No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is listed as exploited in the wild.
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