# CVE-2019-1297: Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by exploiting a memory handling flaw in Microsoft Excel.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Mar 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 11 Sep 2019
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9vrg-75vp-xj72

## What is CVE-2019-1297?

CVE-2019-1297 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 11 Sep 2019. 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 Excel software when the software fails to properly handle objects in memory, aka 'Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability'.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-1297?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office 365 Proplus.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-1297?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-1297 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 17 Mar 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-1297 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-1297 in the wild since at least 3 Mar 2022.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Excel

- [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)
- [CVE-2015-6040](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-6040/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-1297 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-1297 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Excel, published on 11 Sep 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-1297 in the wild since at least 3 Mar 2022.

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-2019-1297/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1297/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-1297
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-1297
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-1297

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1297/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.