# CVE-2012-2528: Use after free in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening a crafted RTF document in Microsoft Word.

- **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:** 9 Oct 2012
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-gh9p-wvxj-wc5x

## What is CVE-2012-2528?

CVE-2012-2528 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack, published on 9 Oct 2012. 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

Use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Word 2003 SP3, 2007 SP2 and SP3, and 2010 SP1; Word Viewer; Office Compatibility Pack SP2 and SP3; Word Automation Services on Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010; and Office Web Apps 2010 SP1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted RTF document, aka "RTF File listid Use-After-Free Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-399

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-2528?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack, Microsoft Office Web Apps, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Word Automation Services, Microsoft Word Viewer.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-2528?

No fix has been published for CVE-2012-2528 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2012-2528 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-2528 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack

- [CVE-2017-11826](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11826/): Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2012-2539](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2539/): Microsoft Word Remote Code Execution (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-1759](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1759/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2015-1651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1651/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2014-6356](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-6356/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-2528 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-2528 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack, published on 9 Oct 2012. 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-2012-2528 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. 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-2012-2528/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2528/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-2528
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-2528
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-2528

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-2528/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.