---
id: "CVE-2016-7262"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2016-7262"]
title: "Microsoft Excel: Microsoft Office Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.8
epss: 0.57733
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "infrastructure"
products: [{"name": "Microsoft Excel", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["excel", "exploited", "infrastructure", "microsoft-office", "windows"]
not_affected_if: ["no-office-installed"]
published_at: "2016-12-20T06:59:00+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-2016-7262", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00"}, {"source": "epss", "url": "https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2016-7262", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7262", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00"}]
---

# Microsoft Excel: Microsoft Office Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

A Microsoft Office flaw lets a crafted file bypass a security feature and run arbitrary commands on the machine that opens it. CISA lists it as actively exploited in the wild.

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

## Affected

- vendor:Microsoft Excel affected ? fixed ?

## How to check

Check whether Microsoft Excel and Office are installed and which build is present, for example in Excel via File > Account > About Excel.

## Fix

Apply the Microsoft Office security updates for this CVE per the vendor instructions (CISA required action); the specific patched build is not stated in the sources.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:52+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2016-7262
- 2026-10-23T19:13:44+00:00 epss https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2016-7262
- 2026-10-23T21:57:35+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7262

## From the sources

Microsoft Excel 2007 SP3, Excel 2010 SP2, Excel 2013 SP1, Excel 2013 RT SP1, Excel 2016, Office Compatibility Pack SP3, and Excel Viewer allow user-assisted remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted cell that is mishandled upon a click, aka "Microsoft Office Security Feature Bypass 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_