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CVE Record

CVE-2020-17130: Microsoft Excel Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

Microsoft Excel Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

MediumCVSS 6.5Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2020-17130 is a Microsoft Excel security feature bypass issue. The provided sources rate it medium severity, but the CVSS vector indicates high potential impact if exploited in the required conditions. Exposure appears limited to listed Excel/Microsoft 365 versions that have not received Microsoft’s update.

Executive priority

Moderate priority. This should be handled through normal Office security update governance, with faster action for high-value users or systems processing untrusted spreadsheets.

Technical view

The source bundle identifies a security feature bypass in Microsoft Excel affecting Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise 16.0.1 and Microsoft Excel 2016 16.0.0.0. CVSS 3.1 is 6.5 with local attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, and user interaction required. The supplied sources do not describe bypass mechanics.

Likely exposure

Likely exposure is endpoint-based, not internet-facing. Focus on workstations or virtual desktops with the listed Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise or Excel 2016 versions that missed Microsoft’s CVE-2020-17130 update.

Exploitation context

The bundle does not cite active exploitation, and KEV is false. CVSS exploit maturity is marked unproven. Treat this as a patch-compliance and endpoint-hardening priority rather than evidence of an active campaign.

Researcher notes

Evidence is sparse. The provided sources identify product scope, CVSS vector, and Microsoft patch availability, but not the vulnerable feature, exploit chain, or practical bypass conditions. Avoid assuming broader Office exposure beyond the listed products.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply the Microsoft security update referenced by MSRC for CVE-2020-17130.
  • Prioritize systems running the listed Excel and Microsoft 365 Apps versions.
  • Check Microsoft guidance for any superseding update or deployment notes.
  • Use existing Office update management to confirm rollout completion.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory endpoints for the affected Excel and Microsoft 365 Apps versions.
  • Confirm the MSRC update for CVE-2020-17130 is installed.
  • Review patch compliance reports for missed or failed Office updates.
  • Validate that unsupported or unmanaged Office installations are remediated.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
4

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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

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CVE-2020-17130 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
6.5 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
3Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
6.5CVSS 3.1MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C0.65.9microsoft

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

6.5Medium
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2020-17130Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CVECVE Program Container
CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
MicrosoftMicrosoft 365 Apps for Enterprise16.0.1Listed
MicrosoftMicrosoft Excel 201616.0.0.0Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.