# CVE-2006-1304: Memory corruption in n/a

> Attacker can execute arbitrary code by tricking a user into opening a malicious Excel file with a crafted record.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **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:** 13 Jul 2006
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-2gfm-8cgv-xpwx

## What is CVE-2006-1304?

CVE-2006-1304 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 13 Jul 2006. 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

Buffer overflow in Microsoft Excel 2000 through 2003 allows user-assisted attackers to execute arbitrary code via a .xls file with a crafted COLINFO record, which triggers the overflow during a "data filling operation."

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2006-1304?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Excel Viewer.

## How do I fix CVE-2006-1304?

No fix has been published for CVE-2006-1304 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2006-1304 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2006-1304 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-2006-1304 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2006-1304 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 13 Jul 2006. 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-2006-1304 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-2006-1304/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-1304/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2006-1304
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2006-1304
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2006-1304

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-1304/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.