---
id: "CVE-2024-38226"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2024-38226"]
title: "Microsoft Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.3
epss: null
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "package"
products: [{"name": "Microsoft Publisher", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft office 2019", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft office long term servicing channel", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 2021", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "microsoft publisher", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 2016", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["exploited", "microsoft-office", "microsoft-publisher", "package", "windows"]
not_affected_if: ["unknown"]
published_at: "2024-09-10T00:00:00+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T22:29:05+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2024-38226", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38226", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T22:29:05+00:00"}]
---

# Microsoft Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

Microsoft Publisher has a protection mechanism failure that lets an attacker bypass Office macro policies meant to block untrusted or malicious files. 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 Publisher affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:microsoft office 2019 affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:microsoft office long term servicing channel affected = 2021 fixed ?
- vendor:microsoft publisher affected = 2016 fixed ?

## Fix

Apply mitigations per Microsoft's vendor instructions, or stop using Microsoft Publisher if mitigations are unavailable (per CISA required action).

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2024-38226
- 2026-10-23T22:29:05+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38226

## From the sources

Microsoft Publisher contains a protection mechanism failure vulnerability that allows attacker to bypass Office macro policies used to block untrusted or malicious files.

CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

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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_