# CVE-2010-1252: Code injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening a crafted Excel file in Microsoft Office Excel.

- **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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Jun 2010
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xpwq-w665-cf7c

## What is CVE-2010-1252?

CVE-2010-1252 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 8 Jun 2010. 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

Unspecified vulnerability in Microsoft Office Excel 2002 SP3 and Office 2004 for Mac allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Excel file, aka "Excel String Variable Vulnerability."

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2010-1252?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office.

## How do I fix CVE-2010-1252?

No fix has been published for CVE-2010-1252 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2010-1252 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2010-1252 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-2010-1252 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2010-1252 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 8 Jun 2010. 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-2010-1252 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-2010-1252/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-1252/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-1252
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-1252
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2010-1252

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-1252/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.