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CVE-2012-1856

Microsoft Office MSCOMCTL.OCX Remote Code Execution

8.8 HIGHActively exploited (CISA KEV)EPSS 72.0%
  1. Published14 Aug 2012
  2. Added to CISA KEV3 Mar 2022
  3. Remediation due24 Mar 2022
Actively exploited (CISA KEV)

The TabStrip ActiveX control in the Common Controls in MSCOMCTL.OCX in Microsoft Office allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) document or (2) web page that triggers system-state corruption.

Added to KEV: 3 Mar 2022Federal remediation due: 24 Mar 2022

Description

The TabStrip ActiveX control in the Common Controls in MSCOMCTL.OCX in Microsoft Office 2003 SP3, Office 2003 Web Components SP3, Office 2007 SP2 and SP3, Office 2010 SP1, SQL Server 2000 SP4, SQL Server 2005 SP4, SQL Server 2008 SP2, SP3, R2, R2 SP1, and R2 SP2, Commerce Server 2002 SP4, Commerce Server 2007 SP2, Commerce Server 2009 Gold and R2, Host Integration Server 2004 SP1, Visual FoxPro 8.0 SP1, Visual FoxPro 9.0 SP2, and Visual Basic 6.0 Runtime allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) document or (2) web page that triggers system-state corruption, aka "MSCOMCTL.OCX RCE Vulnerability."

CVSS 3.1 breakdown

Attack vectorNetwork
Attack complexityLow
Privileges requiredNone
User interactionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

Microsoft Commerce Server2002 · 2007 · 2009
Microsoft Host Integration Server2004
Microsoft Office2003 · 2007 · 2010
Microsoft Office Web Components2003
Microsoft SQL Server2000 · 2005 · 2008
Microsoft Visual Basic6.0
Microsoft Visual Foxpro8.0 · 9.0

Remediation

No fixed version is recorded in the NVD data. Check the vendor advisory for the latest guidance.

Frequently asked

Is CVE-2012-1856 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2012-1856 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added 3 Mar 2022.

How severe is CVE-2012-1856?

CVE-2012-1856 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8, rated high. EPSS estimates a 72.0% probability of exploitation.

Which products are affected by CVE-2012-1856?

Affected products include Microsoft Commerce Server, Microsoft Host Integration Server, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Web Components, Microsoft SQL Server, and 2 more.

How do I fix CVE-2012-1856?

Apply the vendor's patch or advisory guidance, then verify no affected versions remain across your devices.

How Secuno handles this

Secuno correlates vulnerabilities like CVE-2012-1856 against the real software inventory on every managed device, every day. Rather than a static severity, each match is scored in context: exploit availability, EPSS, the asset's exposure, and business criticality decide where it lands in the queue. Because it is on the CISA KEV list, Secuno flags any affected asset as top-priority automatically. If an affected version is present anywhere across your portfolio, it surfaces automatically with a prioritised remediation path.

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Data from the NVD, CISA KEV catalog and FIRST EPSS. CVSS 3.1 base score shown where available.