Cyber Resilience

CVE-2021-40485

High

Published: 13 October 2021

Published
13 October 2021
Modified
28 February 2025
KEV Added
Patch
CVSS Score v3.1 7.8 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0114 78.8th percentile
Risk Priority 16 60% EPSS · 20% KEV · 20% CVSS

Summary

CVE-2021-40485 is a high-severity Code Injection (CWE-94) vulnerability in Microsoft Excel. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).

Operationally, ranked in the top 21.2% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability details

Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CWE(s)

Related Threats

No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.

Affected Assets

microsoft
365 apps
all versions
microsoft
excel
2013, 2016
microsoft
office
2019
microsoft
office long term servicing channel
2021
microsoft
office online server
all versions
microsoft
sharepoint enterprise server
2013

Mitigating Controls

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-94

Makes persistent code injection into loaded programs impossible when the executable image itself resides on hardware-protected read-only media.

addresses: CWE-94

Dynamically generated code can be produced and executed inside the isolated chamber, preventing host compromise from code-injection payloads.

addresses: CWE-94

Validates inputs used in dynamic code generation to block injected directives.

addresses: CWE-94

Directly prevents execution of attacker-supplied code written into data memory regions.

References