# CVE-2018-8176: Code injection in Microsoft Office

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by exploiting improper XML validation in Microsoft PowerPoint, requiring user interaction to open a malicious file.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 23 May 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j39f-3w23-66c2

## What is CVE-2018-8176?

CVE-2018-8176 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Microsoft Office, published on 23 May 2018. 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

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft PowerPoint software when the software fails to properly validate XML content, aka "Microsoft PowerPoint Remote Code Execution Vulnerability." This affects Microsoft Office.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-8176?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Office for Mac.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-8176?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-8176 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-8176 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-8176 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office

- [CVE-2018-8412](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8412/): Privilege escalation in Microsoft Office (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2016-7257](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7257/): Information disclosure in n/a (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-8176 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-8176 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Microsoft Office, published on 23 May 2018. 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-2018-8176 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Microsoft Office. 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-2018-8176/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8176/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-8176
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8176
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-8176

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8176/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.