CVE-2015-2521Excel Memory Corruption
Microsoft Excel 2007 SP3, Excel 2010 SP2, Office Compatibility Pack SP3, and Excel Viewer allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Office document, aka "Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
Published Sep 8, 2015 · Updated May 6, 2026
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2015-2521 is a critical-severity vulnerability (CVSS 9.3 v2) affecting Excel (Microsoft), Excel Viewer (Microsoft), Office Compatibility Pack (Microsoft).
- It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. Public exploit code is available.
- EPSS estimates a 28% 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 public exploit code exists for a high-severity flaw.
Scores
CVSS v2
9.3
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
28%
Higher than 98.0% of all scored CVEs
Exploit maturity
Proof of concept
ATLAS score
36/100
Publication score, see How it works
Exploitation Verdict
KEV listed
Not listed
Federal due date
None
No federal due date
Ransomware use
Not reported
Attributed actors
None named
Exploit & Defence Guidance
Exploit maturity
Proof of concept
Public exploit code
1
Proof-of-concept links
In-the-wild evidence
0
Reports of active use
Description
Microsoft Excel 2007 SP3, Excel 2010 SP2, Office Compatibility Pack SP3, and Excel Viewer allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Office document, aka "Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
Affected Products
5 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| ExcelMicrosoft | 2007-sp3, 2010-sp2 | n/a |
| Excel ViewerMicrosoft | See advisory | n/a |
| Office Compatibility PackMicrosoft | See advisory | n/a |
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Sep 8, 2015
Last updated
May 6, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-119 Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
References
- exploitExploitDB-38216
- otherMS15-099
- other38216
- other1033488
FAQ
Common Questions.
Microsoft Excel 2007 SP3, Excel 2010 SP2, Office Compatibility Pack SP3, and Excel Viewer allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Office document, aka "Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
Affected: Excel (Microsoft) versions 2007-sp3, 2010-sp2; Excel Viewer (Microsoft); Office Compatibility Pack (Microsoft). The full list is in the CVE brief.
It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog.
No, it is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Public exploit code is available.
No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because public exploit code exists for a high-severity flaw.
Is CVE-2015-2521 On Your Attack Surface?
Brandefense matches it against the products discovered on your perimeter and opens a finding the day a CVE like this is listed.
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