Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2015-1642, MS15-081)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTWindows endpoint environments running Microsoft Office 2007 SP3, 2010 SP2, and 2013 SP1.
Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code (RCE) with the privileges of the logged-in user by tricking them into opening a specially crafted Office document.
Immediately apply the official Microsoft security updates (MS15-081) and enforce strict security policies on untrusted email attachments.
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
This vulnerability was resolved in the MS15-081 security bulletin. In enterprise environments, updates should be deployed via WSUS or SCCM. For individual systems, you can force the installation of the required security updates using the following PowerShell commands:
# Install Windows Update module and apply the specific KB updates for MS15-081
Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force -Verbose
Get-WindowsUpdate -KBArticleID KB3080790, KB3085544, KB3085565 -Install -AcceptAll -AutoReboot2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, enforce Protected View and block untrusted OLE/ActiveX controls using Registry modifications to mitigate the attack vector:
# Enforce Protected View for attachments and internet files in Office 2013 via Registry
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\word\security' -Name 'blockwriteforproview' -Value 1 -PropertyType DWord -Force
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKCU:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\word\security' -Name 'disableattachmentsfrominternet' -Value 1 -PropertyType DWord -Force3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following PowerShell script to inspect the local system and verify if vulnerable versions of Microsoft Office are installed:
# Check for the presence of Office 2013 installation paths to verify patch requirements
$OfficeRegPaths = @(
'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common\InstallRoot',
'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\15.0\Common\InstallRoot'
)
foreach ($path in $OfficeRegPaths) {
if (Test-Path $path) {
$ver = Get-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Path' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Write-Host 'Office 2013 detected at: ' $ver.Path -ForegroundColor Yellow
Write-Host 'Action Required: Ensure MS15-081 (KB3085565 or equivalent) is fully installed.' -ForegroundColor Red
}
}Block Kernel Privilege Escalation & Ransomware Payloads Before You Can Reboot
Protect unpatched Windows, Linux, and macOS workloads against in-memory exploitation and lateral movement with autonomous EDR.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2015-1642) is a critical memory corruption issue within Microsoft Office. It arises when the application fails to properly parse and validate specific OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) objects or structures embedded within Office documents. This lack of validation leads to memory corruption (such as Use-After-Free or buffer overflow conditions under CWE-787), allowing an attacker to corrupt the program's memory space and hijack the execution flow.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker exploits this vulnerability by crafting a malicious Office document (e.g., Word, Excel, or RTF format) containing corrupted OLE structures. The document is typically delivered via spear-phishing emails or malicious web downloads. When a target user opens the document, the Office application attempts to parse the malformed object, triggering the memory corruption. By leveraging heap layout manipulation techniques, the attacker can execute arbitrary shellcode embedded within the document, bypassing standard security controls.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
As a vulnerability listed on the CISA KEV catalog, CVE-2015-1642 has been actively exploited in the wild by threat actors. Successful exploitation grants the attacker the same privileges as the active user. If the victim has administrative privileges, the attacker can gain complete control over the compromised endpoint, install malicious software, perform lateral movement across the corporate network, and exfiltrate sensitive business data.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Microsoft Office 2007 SP3, 2010 SP2, and 2013 SP1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted document, aka "Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2015-1642)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2015-1642 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2015-1642 is rated CVSS 7.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 53.1%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2015-1642?
Primary impacted vendors include microsoft across office. Scope summary: Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3, Microsoft Office 2010 Service Pack 2, Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2015-1642 before patching?
[Mitigation] Immediately apply the official Microsoft security updates (MS15-081) and enforce strict security policies on untrusted email attachments. Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
Generate an Internal Engineering Notice or CISO Report for CVE-2015-1642
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