# CVE-2016-7262: Microsoft Office Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2016-7262-microsoft-office-security-feature-bypass-vulnerability  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2022-03-03. Updated: 2026-05-10  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2016-7262 · Severity: critical · CVSS 7.8 · Exploited in the wild · Published 2022-03-03

A security feature bypass vulnerability in Microsoft Excel occurs when the application improperly handles input in crafted cells. An attacker can achieve arbitrary command execution if a user clicks on a specially crafted cell within a malicious file.

Technologies: [Microsoft Excel](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/excel). Vendors: [Microsoft](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/microsoft).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2016-7262 exploited in the wild?** Yes. CVE-2016-7262 is known to be exploited in the wild, first recorded on 3 March 2022. Treat it as urgent.

**How severe is CVE-2016-7262?** Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 7.8, published 3 March 2022.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Microsoft Excel 2007 SP3; Microsoft Excel 2010 SP2; Microsoft Excel 2013 SP1; Microsoft Excel 2013 RT SP1; and 3 more.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2016-7262?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2016-7262 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2016-7262?** Check whether you run Microsoft Excel. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Affected products

- Microsoft Excel 2007 SP3
- Microsoft Excel 2010 SP2
- Microsoft Excel 2013 SP1
- Microsoft Excel 2013 RT SP1
- Microsoft Excel 2016
- Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack SP3
- Microsoft Excel Viewer

## Timeline

- 2016-12-13: disclosed: Initial release of MS16-148 security bulletin.
- 2022-03-03: kev added: Added to CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog.

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