# CVE-2016-7267: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code by exploiting a file format parsing flaw in Microsoft Excel.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **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:** 20 Dec 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8pxc-7h2p-mh7g

## What is CVE-2016-7267?

CVE-2016-7267 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 20 Dec 2016. 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

Microsoft Excel 2010 SP2, 2013 SP1, 2013 RT SP1, and 2016 misparses file formats, which makes it easier for remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted document, aka "Microsoft Office Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-7267?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Excel.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-7267?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-7267 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-7267 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-7267 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-2016-7267 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-7267 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 20 Dec 2016. 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-2016-7267 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-2016-7267/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7267/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7267
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7267
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-7267

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7267/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.