CVE-2023-33148Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via improper link resolution

Published Jul 11, 2023 · Updated Feb 28, 2025

Improper link resolution in Microsoft Office allows local users with low privileges to elevate privileges on affected Windows installations. Microsoft identifies link following before file access but has not disclosed the affected component, link target, or privileged file operation. The attack requires an existing low-privileged local account and no user interaction.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability2.06%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper link resolution in Microsoft Office allows local users with low privileges to elevate privileges on affected Windows installations. Microsoft identifies link following before file access but has not disclosed the affected component, link target, or privileged file operation. The attack requires an existing low-privileged local account and no user interaction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-33148
Published
Jul 11, 2023
Updated
Feb 28, 2025
Vendor
Microsoft
Product
Microsoft Office 2019
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 11, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 28, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=19.0.0 <https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Microsoft · Microsoft Office 2019version=19.0.0 <https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Microsoft · Microsoft Office 2013version=15.0.0.0 <15.0.5571.1000
Microsoft · Microsoft Office LTSC 2021version=16.0.1 <https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
Microsoft · Microsoft 365 Apps for enterpriseversion=16.0.1 <https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases

Published CVSS scores

7.8MicrosoftCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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