CVE-2026-97738
Use after free in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.
Published Oct 13, 2026 · corrected/updated Oct 15, 2026 · microsoft 365 apps · evidence confidence high
Affected Microsoft products: Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2024, Office Online Server, Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2021, Microsoft Office 365 for Mac, Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 for 64-bit editions, Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 for 32-bit editions, Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 64-bit editions, Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 32-bit editions.
Grounded briefings
Catalog interpretations for three audiences. Each brief cites ingested metadata and the original advisories below. They are not independent research and they do not invent exploit steps.
Executive
CVE-2026-97738 is a high public vulnerability record for microsoft 365 apps. It is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited catalog. Check the linked vendor or CERT advisories for patch status. This summary is a catalog interpretation of the ingested metadata and cites the original advisories below.
System administrator
Identify whether microsoft 365 apps is in your estate, then compare installed versions with the affected ranges. Affected packages or ranges on record: microsoft/365 apps; microsoft/microsoft 365; microsoft/office 2021; microsoft/office 2024. Check the linked vendor or CERT advisories for patch status. Prefer the vendor or distribution advisory linked in Sources before changing production systems. This is a catalog interpretation, not a runbook.
Security analyst
Signals on file: CVSS 8.8, EPSS 0.7%. It is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited catalog. Weakness classes: CWE-416. Sources contributing to this record: cve_org, epss, msrc, nvd. Public exploit references, when present, are outbound links only and are not proof of active exploitation. This is a catalog interpretation of stored metadata.
Exploitation and remediation
Exploitation evidence
Not listed as known exploited in CISA KEV. Not in the CISA KEV catalog.
Patch and remediation
No required-action text is stored yet. Use the vendor or CERT links in Sources for patch availability.
Safe detection guidance
Compare installed versions with the affected ranges below and verify the advisory from the original publisher. This site stores metadata and outbound links only; it does not ship exploit code or proof-of-concept payloads.
Code
The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.
No public source repository is identified for this product.
Timeline
Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.
Oct 13, 2026 · NIST NVD
Detected
Use after free in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.
Oct 14, 2026 · NIST NVD
Updated
Use after free in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.
Oct 15, 2026 · NIST NVD
Updated
Use after free in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.
Affected
- cpe microsoft/365 appsversion unspecified
- cpe microsoft/microsoft 365version unspecified
- cpe microsoft/office 2021version unspecified
- cpe microsoft/office 2024version unspecified
- microsoft Microsoft Office 365 for Macversion unspecified
- microsoft Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 32-bit editionsversion unspecified
- microsoft Microsoft Office LTSC 2021 for 64-bit editionsversion unspecified
- microsoft Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 for 32-bit editionsversion unspecified
- microsoft Microsoft Office LTSC 2024 for 64-bit editionsversion unspecified
- microsoft Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2021version unspecified
- microsoft Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2024version unspecified
- microsoft Office Online Serverversion unspecified
Sources
- CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2026-97738
Official CVE identifier
cve.org - FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2026-97738
30-day exploitation probability 0.7%
first.org - Microsoft Security Update GuideVendor advisoryCVE-2026-97738
Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2024, Office Online Server, Microsoft Office LTSC for Mac 2021, Microsoft Office 365 for Mac
msrc.microsoft.com - NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2026-97738
Use after free in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network.
nvd.nist.gov