CVE-2025-59252 is a command injection vulnerability classified under CWE-77, affecting Microsoft 365 Word Copilot. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements in command inputs, which can be exploited by an attacker to inject and execute arbitrary commands. The CVSS v3.1 score of 6.5 indicates a medium severity level, with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but requiring user interaction (UI:R). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact is high on confidentiality (C:H) but none on integrity or availability (I:N/A:N). This suggests that while the attacker cannot alter data or disrupt services, they can potentially access sensitive information. The vulnerability is specific to the Microsoft 365 Word Copilot feature, a productivity tool integrated into Microsoft Word that leverages AI assistance. No affected versions are explicitly listed, and no patches have been released yet. The vulnerability was reserved in early September 2025 and published in October 2025, with no known exploits in the wild to date. The lack of patches and the requirement for user interaction imply that exploitation would likely involve social engineering or malicious document delivery. The vulnerability could be leveraged to execute commands remotely, potentially leading to data leakage or unauthorized access to sensitive information within an enterprise environment.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to confidentiality, as attackers could execute commands that expose sensitive data. Organizations heavily reliant on Microsoft 365 Word Copilot for document creation and collaboration are at risk, especially if users can be tricked into interacting with malicious documents or content. The medium severity and requirement for user interaction reduce the likelihood of widespread automated exploitation but do not eliminate targeted attacks. Potential impacts include unauthorized data disclosure, breach of intellectual property, and exposure of personal or corporate information. Given the widespread adoption of Microsoft 365 in Europe, particularly in sectors such as finance, government, and healthcare, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted espionage or data theft campaigns. The absence of integrity and availability impacts means that data tampering or service disruption is unlikely, but confidentiality breaches alone can have significant regulatory and reputational consequences under GDPR and other European data protection laws.

European organizations should implement specific mitigations beyond generic advice: 1) Educate users about the risks of interacting with unsolicited or suspicious documents, especially those leveraging Microsoft 365 Word Copilot features. 2) Employ advanced email filtering and attachment sandboxing to detect and block potentially malicious documents before reaching end users. 3) Monitor network traffic and endpoint behavior for unusual command execution patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. 4) Restrict or disable Microsoft 365 Word Copilot features where not essential, especially in high-risk user groups or sensitive environments. 5) Maintain strict access controls and data segmentation to limit the impact of any potential data exposure. 6) Stay updated with Microsoft security advisories and apply patches promptly once available. 7) Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting command injection or anomalous process execution related to Word Copilot. 8) Conduct regular security awareness training focusing on social engineering and document-based attacks. These targeted measures will help reduce the attack surface and improve detection and response capabilities.