CVE-2025-53731
Published: 12 August 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-53731 is a high-severity Use After Free (CWE-416) vulnerability in Microsoft Office Long Term Servicing Channel. Its CVSS base score is 8.4 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Client Execution (T1203); ranked in the top 36.9% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-16 (Memory Protection) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Directly requires timely patching and remediation of the use-after-free vulnerability in Microsoft Office to eliminate the flaw.
Implements memory protection mechanisms such as ASLR and DEP that specifically mitigate use-after-free exploitation attempts.
Deploys malicious code protection at entry points to block or detect malicious Office documents exploiting the use-after-free vulnerability.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Use-after-free in Microsoft Office directly enables arbitrary local code execution without privileges or user interaction, mapping to Exploitation for Client Execution.
NVD Description
Use after free in Microsoft Office allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-53731 is a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) in Microsoft Office, published on 2025-08-12. The flaw allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.4 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity due to its potential for significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
An attacker requires local access to the target system but needs no privileges (PR:N) or user interaction (UI:N), with low attack complexity (AC:L). Successful exploitation enables arbitrary code execution in the context of the affected Microsoft Office process, potentially leading to full system compromise if chained with other techniques.
The Microsoft Security Response Center advisory at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-53731 provides details on patches and mitigation steps. Security practitioners should consult this resource for specific update guidance and apply vendor-recommended fixes promptly.
Details
- CWE(s)