Local code execution via untrusted search path
Published Jan 13, 2026 · Updated Jan 13, 2026
Untrusted search path handling in Microsoft Office Click-to-Run products allows local users to execute code through user interaction. Microsoft identifies the affected locus as Click-to-Run search-path handling but has not disclosed the executable, library, or lookup sequence that accepts an attacker-controlled path. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction and runs attacker-supplied code with the affected user's access to data and services.
Summary
What happened
Untrusted search path handling in Microsoft Office Click-to-Run products allows local users to execute code through user interaction. Microsoft identifies the affected locus as Click-to-Run search-path handling but has not disclosed the executable, library, or lookup sequence that accepts an attacker-controlled path. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction and runs attacker-supplied code with the affected user's access to data and services.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-20943
- Published
- Jan 13, 2026
- Updated
- Jan 13, 2026
- Vendor
- Microsoft
- Product
- Microsoft Office 2016
- Classifications
- CWE-426, T1574
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jan 13, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jan 13, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=16.0.0 <16.0.5535.1000
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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