Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-31180 is a high-severity remote code execution issue in Microsoft Office Graphics. Affected Office and Word installations could allow code execution after required user interaction. The provided sources do not show active exploitation, and CISA KEV status is false.
Executive priority
Treat this as a high-priority desktop patching issue, especially for users who handle external documents. The risk is serious because successful exploitation can affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability, but the provided evidence does not show known active exploitation.
Technical view
The CVSS 3.1 vector is 7.8 high: AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. This indicates local-context exploitation with low complexity, no privileges, required user interaction, unchanged scope, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. Microsoft lists an official remediation.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on endpoints running the listed Microsoft Office 2019, Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Word 2016, Office 2013 SP1, or Word 2013 SP1 versions that have not received the relevant Microsoft security update.
Exploitation context
The bundle supports a user-interaction-required Office Graphics RCE condition. It does not provide exploit mechanics, public exploit evidence, or active exploitation confirmation. KEV is false, and the CVSS exploit maturity value is unproven.
Researcher notes
The source bundle is sparse: it provides product scope, CVSS, advisory references, and official remediation status, but no CWE, root-cause detail, or exploit narrative. Avoid assuming broader Office versions or active exploitation without additional Microsoft or KEV evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Apply the official Microsoft security update for CVE-2021-31180.
- Check the MSRC advisory for product-specific remediation guidance.
- Prioritize managed endpoints with affected Office or Word installations.
- Reduce handling of untrusted Office documents until systems are updated.
Validation and detection
- Inventory endpoints for the affected Office and Word products listed in the sources.
- Compare installed versions and patch levels against Microsoft guidance for CVE-2021-31180.
- Confirm Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise update channels have received the fix.
- Document any unsupported or unpatched Office 2013 SP1 systems for remediation tracking.
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.
Execution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-31180 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
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
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.
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:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C1.85.9Primary 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/E:U/RL:O/RC:C
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-31180CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
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.