# CVE-1999-0717: Security feature bypass in n/a

> A remote attacker can disable the virus warning mechanism in Microsoft Excel 97, bypassing security protections.

- **Severity:** Low 2.6 (`AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 4 Jan 2000
- **Updated:** 1 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jxqq-qrjv-6cm9

## What is CVE-1999-0717?

CVE-1999-0717 is a low-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 4 Jan 2000. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A remote attacker can disable the virus warning mechanism in Microsoft Excel 97.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-1999-0717?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows Nt.

## How do I fix CVE-1999-0717?

No fix has been published for CVE-1999-0717 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-1999-0717 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-1999-0717 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel

- [CVE-2019-1297](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1297/): Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2009-0238](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0238/): Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2016-7262](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7262/): Microsoft Office Security Feature Bypass (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2009-3129](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3129/): Microsoft Excel Featheader Record Memory Corruption (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2008-0081](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0081/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-1999-0717 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-1999-0717 is a low-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 4 Jan 2000. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-1999-0717 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Excel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0717/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0717/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-1999-0717
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-1999-0717
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-1999-0717

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0717/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.