It would appear that some companies still haven’t installed the Microsoft Office patches that were released 5 years ago. According to Kaspersky, the CVE-2017-11882 flaw, found in Microsoft Office, has been the most frequently exploited in attacks that have affected their customers, and is still popular with cybercriminals. All this, despite the fact that the update for this vulnerability was released in November 2017! There’s only one explanation for this enduring notoriety: some users haven’t installed Microsoft Office patches for over five years.
What is the CVE-2017-11882 vulnerability?
Office is the most widely used application suite in the world, both for businesses and individuals, so the number of users exposed in the event of a vulnerability is large, as in the case of CVE-2017-11882.
CVE-2017-11882 is a security flaw in Microsoft Office that enables hackers to perform malicious actions on a remote computer. To exploit this flaw, cybercriminals need to create a dangerous file and persuade the victim to open it. This file is often sent by e-mail or hosted on a compromised site.
Obviously, CVE-2017-11882 is not the only vulnerability used for years to launch attacks, but it remains a privileged access point for many attacks.
To Protect Yourself:
To protect yourself against the risks associated with the CVE-2017-11882 vulnerability and other similar threats, here are some steps you can take:
1. Avoid having administrator privileges when working with Office documents. This limits the opportunities for malware to infect your system.
2. Do not open documents sent by an unknown person or received without a valid reason. Caution is the key to avoiding pitfalls.
3. Install security solutions that can prevent vulnerabilities from being exploited. Robust security software can detect and block malicious files or activities before they cause problems.
The CVE-2017-11882 vulnerability is an important reminder that even old vulnerabilities can be exploited if users fail to install security updates. The security of your IT systems is a constant concern, and by taking simple steps, you can protect yourself against even the oldest online threats. Don’t underestimate the importance of keeping your software up-to-date and adopting responsible IT security practices.
