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Known exploited vulnerability · CISA KEV

CVE-2012-1854: Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Insecure Library Loading Vulnerability

Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) contains an insecure library loading vulnerability that could allow for remote code execution.

CVE-2012-1854

Exploited in the wild. Fix this first.

CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-04-13: attackers are using it right now.

CISA KEV
Listed
Added 2026-04-13 · federal fix-by 2026-04-27
EPSS (30 days)
21%
Higher than 98% of CVEs · 2026-11-01
CVSS v3.1
7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

What CISA says

Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Insecure Library Loading Vulnerability

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

NVD description · published 2012-07-10

Untrusted search path vulnerability in VBE6.dll in Microsoft Office 2003 SP3, 2007 SP2 and SP3, and 2010 Gold and SP1; Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA); and Summit Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications SDK allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in the current working directory, as demonstrated by a directory that contains a .docx file, aka "Visual Basic for Applications Insecure Library Loading Vulnerability," as exploited in the wild in July 2012.

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How to check if you are exposed to CVE-2012-1854

  1. Find every Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) system you or your clients run, including ones exposed to the internet. Those come first: CISA only lists flaws attackers are already using.
  2. Compare each version with the fixed versions in the vendor advisory below. Where no fix exists yet, apply the vendor’s mitigation or take the system off the internet.
  3. Run a credentialed vulnerability scan to catch the systems you missed, then check that the next scan no longer reports CVE-2012-1854.

US federal agencies had to fix this by 2026-04-27. Everyone else should treat that deadline as a guide: if it has passed, this is overdue.

Affected versions

Versions the National Vulnerability Database lists as vulnerable to CVE-2012-1854. Check the vendor advisory for the exact fixed builds before you sign anything off.

ProductVulnerable versions
Microsoft Visual Basic FOR Applicationsall versions
Microsoft Office2003-sp3; 2007-sp2; 2007-sp3; 2010; 2010-sp1
Microsoft Visual Basic FOR Applications SDKall versions

Timeline

  1. · Published in the National Vulnerability Database
  2. · Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, 5,025 days after it was published
  3. · Fix-by date for US federal agencies, passed 188 days ago

Vendor advisories and fixes

Weakness type

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Sources: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (version 2026.10.30); EPSS data from FIRST.org; CVSS and descriptions from the NIST National Vulnerability Database. Checked 2026-11-01. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

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