CVE-2025-24078 is a use-after-free vulnerability classified under CWE-416 affecting Microsoft Office Word 2019 (version 19.0.0). This vulnerability arises when the program incorrectly manages memory, freeing an object while it is still in use, which can lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker with local access and requiring user interaction can exploit this flaw to execute malicious code with the privileges of the user running Office Word. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.0, indicating high severity, with the vector AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, meaning the attack requires local access, high attack complexity, no privileges, user interaction, and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability fully. No patches or exploit code are currently publicly available, but the vulnerability is recognized and published by Microsoft and CISA. The flaw could be leveraged by attackers to compromise systems, steal sensitive data, or disrupt operations by executing arbitrary code locally. Given the widespread use of Microsoft Office in enterprise environments, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially in environments where users have elevated privileges or where local access controls are weak.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-24078 could be substantial. Since Microsoft Office 2019 is widely deployed across enterprises, government agencies, and critical infrastructure sectors, exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, data breaches, and operational disruption. Confidentiality is at risk as attackers could access sensitive documents and information. Integrity and availability are also threatened, as attackers could modify or delete data and disrupt business processes. The requirement for local access and user interaction somewhat limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments with shared workstations or insufficient endpoint security. Organizations in finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure sectors are particularly vulnerable due to the sensitive nature of their data and the reliance on Office productivity tools. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the lack of patches means organizations must rely on compensating controls until updates are released.

1. Restrict local access to systems running Microsoft Office 2019 to trusted users only, employing strong physical and logical access controls. 2. Enforce the principle of least privilege by ensuring users operate with minimal necessary permissions, reducing the impact of potential exploitation. 3. Disable or restrict macros and other active content in Office documents, as these can be vectors for triggering vulnerabilities. 4. Implement application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor and block suspicious behaviors indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Educate users about the risks of opening untrusted documents and the importance of not interacting with unexpected prompts or content. 6. Monitor security advisories from Microsoft closely and prepare for rapid deployment of patches once available. 7. Use network segmentation to limit lateral movement if a local compromise occurs. 8. Regularly back up critical data and verify the integrity of backups to enable recovery from potential attacks.