dbcve.org
VisioApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2011-1979

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2011-08-10
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Microsoft Visio 2003 SP3 and 2007 SP2 does not properly validate objects in memory during Visio file parsing, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted file, aka "Move Around the Block RCE Vulnerability."

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

This is a memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Visio 2003 SP3 and 2007 SP2 where improper validation of objects during Visio file parsing allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a specially crafted .vsd or .vdx file.

MitigationApply the Microsoft security update (MS11-044) or upgrade to a supported Visio version to patch the memory validation flaw.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
VisioApplication
Affected:= 2003= 2007

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
M
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm Visio is installed
    Check for Microsoft Visio in the list of installed programs (Control Panel > Programs and Features), or attempt to launch Visio via Start menu or by double-clicking a .vsd/.vdx file
    Affected if Visio is not installed on the system - the vulnerability does not apply
  2. Determine installed Visio version
    Open Visio, click Help > About Microsoft Office Visio, and note the version number displayed (for example, 11.0 for Visio 2003 or 12.0 for Visio 2007)
    Affected if The version displayed is 11.0.xxxx (Visio 2003) or 12.0.xxxx (Visio 2007) - continue to next check
  3. Identify Service Pack level
    In the same About dialog, check the full version string or use the Windows Update history to confirm whether Visio 2003 has Service Pack 3 applied, or Visio 2007 has Service Pack 2 applied
    Affected if The installed version is specifically Visio 2003 SP3 or Visio 2007 SP2, meaning the exact version range listed in the CVE is present
  4. Verify file handling is possible
    Visio can open .vsd and .vdx files by default - confirm this by checking file association settings or opening any existing Visio diagram
    Affected if Visio is capable of opening .vsd or .vdx files (default behavior), meaning the parsing vulnerable to memory corruption could be triggered by opening a specially crafted file

The system is affected if Visio 2003 SP3 or Visio 2007 SP2 is installed and the user can open .vsd or .vdx files, as the memory corruption flaw exists in the object parsing logic for these specific versions.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the Microsoft security update (MS11-044) or upgrade to a supported Visio version to patch the memory validation flaw.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Microsoft released patches for this vulnerability in June 2011 (MS11-044). For long-term security, consider upgrading to a supported Visio version such as Visio 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, or Microsoft 365 Apps as Visio 2003 and 2007 are no longer supported.

  1. Open Microsoft Update or visit https://catalog.update.microsoft.com/
  2. Search for KB2553009 for Visio 2003 or KB2553008 for Visio 2007 depending on your installed version
  3. Download and install the corresponding security update
  4. Restart the computer if prompted
  5. Verify the update was installed by checking installed updates
Caveat Patches for legacy products may no longer be available through standard channels. Consider that Visio 2003/2007 are end-of-life and receive no further security updates.

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Visio Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2011-1979 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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