Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is an older Microsoft Outlook weakness that can let an attacker run commands on a user’s computer if the user interaction requirement is met. It affects Outlook 2010 SP2, Outlook 2013 SP1 and RT SP1, and Outlook 2016. Because CISA lists it in KEV, treat remaining exposure as urgent legacy endpoint risk.
Executive priority
High priority if any affected Outlook versions remain. This is legacy software risk with confirmed known exploitation, so leadership should drive rapid endpoint discovery, patch verification, and retirement of unsupported Office installations.
Technical view
CVE-2017-11774 is a Microsoft Outlook security feature bypass tied to how Microsoft Office handles objects in memory. The published CVSS 3.1 score is 7.8, with local attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, user interaction required, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on endpoints still running affected, unpatched Outlook 2010 SP2, Outlook 2013 SP1/RT SP1, or Outlook 2016. The CVSS vector indicates this is not a remotely reachable service issue; it is an endpoint and user-interaction risk.
Exploitation context
Active exploitation is supported by CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Public research references exist, including SensePost discussion of an Outlook-related vector, but the provided bundle does not establish current campaign details, prevalence, or specific indicators.
Researcher notes
Evidence supports affected products, CVSS characteristics, CWE-119 classification, and KEV status. The bundle does not provide detailed patch package identifiers, live exploit telemetry, or confirmed current threat actors, so avoid overclaiming beyond Microsoft, CVE, CISA, and cited public research.
Mitigation direction
- Identify endpoints running affected Microsoft Outlook versions.
- Apply Microsoft’s CVE-2017-11774 security guidance and updates.
- Prioritize remediation for internet-connected, executive, finance, and privileged-user workstations.
- Remove or upgrade unsupported Office versions where patching is not reliable.
- Monitor endpoint controls for suspicious Outlook child-process activity.
Validation and detection
- Inventory installed Microsoft Outlook versions across managed endpoints.
- Confirm CVE-2017-11774 patch status against Microsoft guidance.
- Check whether any affected assets remain in executive or privileged-user groups.
- Review EDR telemetry for unusual command execution originating from Outlook.
- Document exceptions with owner, compensating controls, and removal date.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-119: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2017-11774 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- Yes
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CISA KEV status
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2017-11774CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
- https://sensepost.com/blog/2017/outlook-home-page-another-ruler-vector/CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-11774CVE reference · government-resource
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.