CVE-2019-1204: An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Microsoft Outlook initiates processing of incoming messages without sufficient validation of the f...

Description

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Microsoft Outlook initiates processing of incoming messages without sufficient validation of the formatting of the messages. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could attempt to force Outlook to load a local or remote message store (over SMB). To exploit the vulnerability, the attacker could send a specially crafted email to a victim. Outlook would then attempt to open a pre-configured message store contained in the email upon receipt of the email. This update addresses the vulnerability by ensuring Office fully validates incoming email formatting before processing message content.

Metrics

EPSS Probability

4.42%

90.1th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-20

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Microsoft	Office	2019	—
Microsoft	Office 365 Proplus	All versions	—
Microsoft	Outlook	2010	Sp2
Microsoft	Outlook	2013	Sp1
Microsoft	Outlook	2016	—

References

https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-1204Patch, Vendor Advisory
https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2019-1204Patch, Vendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Aug 14, 2019
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-1204?

An elevation of privilege vulnerability exists when Microsoft Outlook initiates processing of incoming messages without sufficient validation of the formatting of the messages. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could attempt to force Outlook to load a local or remote message store (over SMB). To exploit the vulnerability, the attacker could send a specially crafted email to a victim. Outlook would then attempt to open a pre-configured message store contained in the email upon receipt of the email. This update addresses the vulnerability by ensuring Office fully validates incoming email formatting before processing message content.

How severe is CVE-2019-1204?

Severity scoring for CVE-2019-1204 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 4.42% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2019-1204?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

How Strix Helps

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