CVE-2015-6172
CriticalMicrosoft Word 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP2, Word 2010 SP2, Word 2013 SP1, Word 2016, Word 2013 RT SP1, and Office Compatibility Pack SP3 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted email message processed by Outlook, aka "Microsoft Office RCE Vulnerability."
Published Dec 9, 2015 · Updated May 6, 2026
Key Facts
Patch immediately- CVE-2015-6172 is a critical-severity vulnerability (CVSS 9.3 v2) affecting Office (Microsoft), Office Compatibility Pack (Microsoft), Word (Microsoft).
- It is not listed in any known-exploited vulnerabilities catalog. No public exploit code is known.
- EPSS estimates a 54% 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 very likely to be exploited soon.
CVSS v2
9.3
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
EPSS (30-day exploit likelihood)
54%
Higher than 98.9% of all scored CVEs
Exploited in the wild
No known
Not in a known-exploited catalog
Public exploit code
None known
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Description
Microsoft Word 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP2, Word 2010 SP2, Word 2013 SP1, Word 2016, Word 2013 RT SP1, and Office Compatibility Pack SP3 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted email message processed by Outlook, aka "Microsoft Office RCE Vulnerability."
Affected Products
7 affected entries in total| Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| OfficeMicrosoft | 2010-sp2 | n/a |
| Office Compatibility PackMicrosoft | See advisory | n/a |
| WordMicrosoft | 2007-sp3, 2010-sp2, 2013-sp1 | n/a |
Timeline
Publicly disclosed
Dec 9, 2015
Last updated
May 6, 2026
Weakness Type
- CWE-20 Improper Input Validation
References
FAQ
Common Questions.
Microsoft Word 2007 SP3, Office 2010 SP2, Word 2010 SP2, Word 2013 SP1, Word 2016, Word 2013 RT SP1, and Office Compatibility Pack SP3 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted email message processed by Outlook, aka "Microsoft Office RCE Vulnerability."
Affected: Office (Microsoft) versions 2010-sp2; Office Compatibility Pack (Microsoft); Word (Microsoft) versions 2007-sp3, 2010-sp2, 2013-sp1. 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.
No public exploit code is known.
No fixed version is listed yet; check the vendor advisory for mitigations.
Brandefense priority: patch immediately, because it is very likely to be exploited soon.
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