# CVE-2015-2520: Memory corruption in n/a

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

- **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 Sep 2015
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-vfxw-56g6-7rpq

## What is CVE-2015-2520?

CVE-2015-2520 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 9 Sep 2015. 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

Microsoft Excel 2007 SP3, Excel 2010 SP2, Excel for Mac 2011 and 2016, Office Compatibility Pack SP3, and Excel Viewer allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Office document, aka "Microsoft Office Memory Corruption Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-2520?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Excel Viewer, Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-2520?

No fix has been published for CVE-2015-2520 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2015-2520 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2015-2520 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Office 2007 - BIFFRecord Length Use-After-Free (exploitdb)

## 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-2015-2520 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-2520 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 9 Sep 2015. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2015-2520 exists.

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-2015-2520/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2520/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-2520
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-2520
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-2520

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2520/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.