{"description":"Trending threats, MITRE ATT\u0026CK coverage, and detection metadata. Fed continuously.","feed_url":"https://feed.craftedsignal.io/tags/cve-2026-40364/feed.json","home_page_url":"https://feed.craftedsignal.io/","items":[{"_cs_actors":[],"_cs_cpes":[],"_cs_cves":[{"cvss":8.4,"id":"CVE-2026-40364"}],"_cs_exploited":false,"_cs_has_poc":false,"_cs_poc_references":[],"_cs_products":["Office Word"],"_cs_severities":["high"],"_cs_tags":["cve-2026-40364","type confusion","code execution","office word","msword"],"_cs_type":"advisory","_cs_vendors":["Microsoft"],"content_html":"\u003cp\u003eCVE-2026-40364 is a type confusion vulnerability in Microsoft Office Word that can lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability to execute code locally with the privileges of the current user. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of object types within Word, leading to memory corruption when processing specially crafted documents. While the specifics of exploitation are not detailed in the advisory, the high CVSS score and potential for local code execution make this a significant threat for systems running affected versions of Microsoft Office Word. Defenders should prioritize patching and consider implementing proactive detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"attack-chain\"\u003eAttack Chain\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn attacker crafts a malicious Word document containing a payload designed to trigger the type confusion vulnerability (CVE-2026-40364).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe attacker delivers the crafted document to a target user via email, shared drive, or other means.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe user opens the malicious document in Microsoft Office Word.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWord attempts to process the document, triggering the type confusion vulnerability due to the incompatible object types.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe type confusion error leads to memory corruption within the Word process.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe attacker\u0026rsquo;s payload leverages the memory corruption to overwrite critical data structures.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe overwritten data structures are manipulated to redirect execution flow to attacker-controlled code.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe attacker achieves local code execution with the privileges of the user, potentially leading to further malicious actions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"impact\"\u003eImpact\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSuccessful exploitation of CVE-2026-40364 allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code locally on a vulnerable system. The impact is significant, potentially allowing an attacker to install malware, steal sensitive data, or perform other malicious actions with the privileges of the logged-on user. Given the widespread use of Microsoft Office Word, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to a large number of users and organizations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"recommendation\"\u003eRecommendation\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eApply the security update released by Microsoft to patch CVE-2026-40364 as soon as possible (reference: \u003ca href=\"https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-40364)\"\u003ehttps://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-40364)\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDeploy the Sigma rule \u0026ldquo;Detect Suspicious Process Creation from Winword.exe\u0026rdquo; to identify potential exploitation attempts.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnable and review Microsoft Office\u0026rsquo;s Protected View settings to mitigate the risk of malicious documents.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEducate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious documents.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n","date_modified":"2026-05-12T18:35:37Z","date_published":"2026-05-12T18:35:37Z","id":"https://feed.craftedsignal.io/briefs/2026-05-office-word-type-confusion/","summary":"Microsoft Office Word is vulnerable to CVE-2026-40364, a type confusion vulnerability that allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.","title":"CVE-2026-40364: Microsoft Office Word Type Confusion Vulnerability","url":"https://feed.craftedsignal.io/briefs/2026-05-office-word-type-confusion/"}],"language":"en","title":"CraftedSignal Threat Feed — Cve-2026-40364","version":"https://jsonfeed.org/version/1.1"}