# CVE-2023-32541: Use after free in Hancom Office 2020

> A use-after-free in Hancom Office allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening a malicious .doc file.

- **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:** 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:** 26 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 4 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-f332-grfr-h53c

## What is CVE-2023-32541?

CVE-2023-32541 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Hancom Office 2020, published on 26 Sep 2023. 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 use-after-free vulnerability exists in the footerr functionality of Hancom Office 2020 HWord 11.0.0.7520. A specially crafted .doc file can lead to a use-after-free. An attacker can trick a user into opening a malformed file to trigger this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-32541?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Hancom Hancom Office 2020.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-32541?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-32541 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-32541 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-32541 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Hancom Office 2020

- [CVE-2022-33896](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-33896/): Memory corruption in Hancom Office 2020 (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-21958](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21958/): Memory corruption in Hancom (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-32541 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-32541 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Hancom Office 2020, published on 26 Sep 2023. 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-2023-32541 exists.

Affected product: Hancom Office 2020. 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-2023-32541/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32541/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-32541
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-32541
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-32541

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-32541/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.