# CVE-2024-38226: Microsoft Publisher Protection Mechanism Failure

> Attackers can bypass security features in Microsoft Publisher, potentially exposing users to further threats.

- **Severity:** High 7.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:O/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 10 Sep 2024 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 10 Sep 2024
- **Updated:** 10 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rf2v-qj9w-x393

## What is CVE-2024-38226?

CVE-2024-38226 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Office 2019, published on 10 Sep 2024. 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 Publisher Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

Weakness: CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-38226?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Microsoft Office 2019, Microsoft Office Long Term Servicing Channel, Microsoft Publisher.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-38226?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-38226 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 1 Oct 2024.

## Is CVE-2024-38226 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2024-38226 in the wild since at least 10 Sep 2024.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-38226 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-38226 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Office 2019, published on 10 Sep 2024. 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: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2024-38226 in the wild since at least 10 Sep 2024.

Affected product: Microsoft Office 2019. 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-2024-38226/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38226/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-38226
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38226
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-38226

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38226/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.