---
id: "CVE-2012-2539"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2012-2539"]
title: "Microsoft Word: Microsoft Word Remote Code Execution Vulnerability"
severity: "critical"
cvss: 9.3
epss: 0.53033
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "other"
products: [{"name": "Microsoft Word", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["exploited", "microsoft-word", "office", "other", "windows"]
not_affected_if: ["no-word-installed", "patched-office"]
published_at: "2012-12-12T00:55:01+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2012-2539", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2012-2539", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:13:45+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-2539", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"}]
---

# Microsoft Word: Microsoft Word Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Microsoft Word can be made to run attacker code or crash when it opens a specially crafted RTF file. An attacker who gets a victim to open the document can run code as that user.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Microsoft Word affected ? fixed ?

## Fix

Apply the Microsoft security update for this CVE per vendor instructions, as CISA requires; the specific patch and affected Word versions are not in the sources.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2012-2539
- 2026-10-23T19:13:45+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2012-2539
- 2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-2539

## From the sources

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."

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_