# CVE-2001-0718: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Attackers can bypass macro restrictions in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint to execute arbitrary commands by modifying document data streams.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Mar 2002
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7rm2-mhc5-4p95

## What is CVE-2001-0718?

CVE-2001-0718 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 9 Mar 2002. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Vulnerability in (1) Microsoft Excel 2002 and earlier and (2) Microsoft PowerPoint 2002 and earlier allows attackers to bypass macro restrictions and execute arbitrary commands by modifying the data stream in the document.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2001-0718?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Powerpoint.

## How do I fix CVE-2001-0718?

No fix has been published for CVE-2001-0718 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2001-0718 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2001-0718 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-2001-0718 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2001-0718 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 9 Mar 2002. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2001-0718 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-2001-0718/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-0718/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2001-0718
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2001-0718
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2001-0718

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-0718/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.