CVE-2021-38646

Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVSS v3 7.8 HIGH
CVSS v2.0 6.8 MEDIUM

7.8^/10

CVSS v3 : HIGH

Vector :

Exploitability : 1.8 / Impact : 5.9

Attack Vector LOCAL

Attack Complexity LOW

Privileges Required NONE

User Interaction REQUIRED

Confidentiality Impact HIGH

Integrity Impact HIGH

Availability Impact HIGH

Scope UNCHANGED

6.8^/10

CVSS v2.0 : MEDIUM

Vector : AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Exploitability : 8.6 / Impact : 6.4

Access Vector NETWORK

Access Complexity MEDIUM

Authentication NONE

Confidentiality Impact PARTIAL

Integrity Impact PARTIAL

Availability Impact PARTIAL

References

Link	Resource
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-38646	Patch Vendor Advisory
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-38646	Patch Vendor Advisory
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-38646	US Government Resource

Configurations

Configuration 1 (hide)

OR	cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:365_apps:-::::enterprise:::
	cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2013:sp1:::-:::*
	cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2013:sp1:::rt:::*
	cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2016:::::::*
	cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2019:::::::*

History

30 Oct 2025, 19:14

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
References	~~() https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-38646 -~~	() https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-38646 - US Government Resource

22 Oct 2025, 00:17

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
References		() https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-38646 -

21 Oct 2025, 20:18

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
References	~~{'url': 'https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-38646', 'source': '134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0'}~~

21 Oct 2025, 19:19

Type	Values Removed	Values Added
References		() https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-38646 -

Information

Published : 2021-09-15 12:15

Updated : 2025-10-30 19:14

NVD link : CVE-2021-38646

Mitre link : CVE-2021-38646

CVE.ORG link : CVE-2021-38646

JSON object : View

Products Affected

microsoft

office
365_apps

CWE

NVD-CWE-noinfo

{"id": "CVE-2021-38646", "cveTags": [], "metrics": {"cvssMetricV2": [{"type": "Primary", "source": "nvd@nist.gov", "cvssData": {"version": "2.0", "baseScore": 6.8, "accessVector": "NETWORK", "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P", "authentication": "NONE", "integrityImpact": "PARTIAL", "accessComplexity": "MEDIUM", "availabilityImpact": "PARTIAL", "confidentialityImpact": "PARTIAL"}, "acInsufInfo": false, "impactScore": 6.4, "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM", "obtainAllPrivilege": false, "exploitabilityScore": 8.6, "obtainUserPrivilege": false, "obtainOtherPrivilege": false, "userInteractionRequired": true}], "cvssMetricV31": [{"type": "Secondary", "source": "secure@microsoft.com", "cvssData": {"scope": "UNCHANGED", "version": "3.1", "baseScore": 7.8, "attackVector": "LOCAL", "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"}, "impactScore": 5.9, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8}, {"type": "Secondary", "source": "nvd@nist.gov", "cvssData": {"scope": "UNCHANGED", "version": "3.1", "baseScore": 7.8, "attackVector": "LOCAL", "baseSeverity": "HIGH", "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H", "integrityImpact": "HIGH", "userInteraction": "REQUIRED", "attackComplexity": "LOW", "availabilityImpact": "HIGH", "privilegesRequired": "NONE", "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"}, "impactScore": 5.9, "exploitabilityScore": 1.8}]}, "published": "2021-09-15T12:15:15.033", "references": [{"url": "https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-38646", "tags": ["Patch", "Vendor Advisory"], "source": "secure@microsoft.com"}, {"url": "https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-38646", "tags": ["Patch", "Vendor Advisory"], "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"}, {"url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-38646", "tags": ["US Government Resource"], "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0"}], "vulnStatus": "Analyzed", "weaknesses": [{"type": "Primary", "source": "nvd@nist.gov", "description": [{"lang": "en", "value": "NVD-CWE-noinfo"}]}], "descriptions": [{"lang": "en", "value": "Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability"}, {"lang": "es", "value": "Una Vulnerabilidad de Ejecuci\u00f3n de C\u00f3digo Remota en Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine"}], "lastModified": "2025-10-30T19:14:00.473", "cisaActionDue": "2022-04-18", "cisaExploitAdd": "2022-03-28", "configurations": [{"nodes": [{"negate": false, "cpeMatch": [{"criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:365_apps:-:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:*", "vulnerable": true, "matchCriteriaId": "40C15EDD-98D4-4D06-BA06-21AE0F33C72D"}, {"criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2013:sp1:*:*:-:*:*:*", "vulnerable": true, "matchCriteriaId": "552E1557-D6FA-45DD-9B52-E13ACDBB8A62"}, {"criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2013:sp1:*:*:rt:*:*:*", "vulnerable": true, "matchCriteriaId": "F7DDFFB8-2337-4DD7-8120-56CC8EF134B4"}, {"criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2016:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "vulnerable": true, "matchCriteriaId": "E0B3B0BC-C7C6-4687-AD72-DCA29FF9AE3A"}, {"criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2019:*:*:*:*:*:*:*", "vulnerable": true, "matchCriteriaId": "FF177984-A906-43FA-BF60-298133FBBD6B"}], "operator": "OR"}]}], "sourceIdentifier": "secure@microsoft.com", "cisaRequiredAction": "Apply updates per vendor instructions.", "cisaVulnerabilityName": "Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability"}