dbcve.org
PublisherApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2011-3410

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2011-12-14
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
Array index error in Microsoft Publisher 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP2 and SP3, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Publisher file that leverages incorrect handling of values in memory, aka "Publisher Out-of-bounds Array Index 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

An array index error in Microsoft Publisher 2003 SP3 and 2007 SP2/SP3 allows remote code execution through crafted .pub files. The vulnerability stems from incorrect handling of values in memory during file parsing, causing an out-of-bounds array access that can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code.

MitigationApply the relevant Microsoft security update for Publisher, and instruct users to avoid opening untrusted or unexpected Publisher files from unknown sources.

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
PublisherApplication
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. Check if Microsoft Publisher is installed
    Open Control Panel > Programs and Features, or run 'appwiz.cpl', and look for Microsoft Publisher in the installed programs list. Alternatively, check for the presence of Publisher executable in the Office installation directory.
    Affected if Publisher is not listed in installed programs (not affected because the software is not present).
  2. Identify the installed Publisher version
    Right-click the Publisher executable (typically pub.exe in the Office installation folder, often under C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\ or C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\) and select Properties, then view the Version tab. Or check the registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\<version>\Publisher\InstallRoot if available.
    Affected if The version cannot be determined or is not 2003 or 2007.
  3. Confirm the specific version matches affected releases
    Compare the identified version against: Microsoft Publisher 2003 Service Pack 3, or Microsoft Publisher 2007 Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3. The exact version number can be verified through the File > Help menu in Publisher or via the Office updates installed.
    Affected if The installed version is NOT 2003 SP3 or 2007 SP2/SP3 (not affected). The installed version IS 2003 SP3 or 2007 SP2/SP3 (potentially affected).
  4. Verify the vulnerability trigger condition
    Understand that this flaw is triggered during .pub file parsing. The vulnerability requires a user to open a specially crafted malicious .pub file. Check whether users in the environment commonly open .pub files from external or untrusted sources.
    Affected if A user with an affected Publisher version opens a malicious .pub file (the vulnerability becomes exploitable in that scenario).

A system is affected only if Microsoft Publisher 2003 SP3 or 2007 SP2/SP3 is installed AND a user opens a specially crafted .pub file, as the vulnerability exists in the file parsing logic.

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 relevant Microsoft security update for Publisher, and instruct users to avoid opening untrusted or unexpected Publisher files from unknown sources.

Recommended fix High confidence

Microsoft Publisher 2010 or later (or Microsoft Office 2010/2013 with current security updates)

  1. 1. Apply Microsoft Security Update MS11-091 (KB2607492) from Microsoft's Security Bulletin MS11-091
  2. 2. For Publisher 2003 SP3: Install MS11-091 update for Microsoft Publisher 2003
  3. 3. For Publisher 2007 SP2/SP3: Install MS11-091 update for Microsoft Publisher 2007
  4. 4. Verify the update was successfully installed by checking Windows Update history or the installed updates list
  5. 5. After patching, test that legitimate Publisher files open correctly
Caveat This is a security patch; it should not introduce breaking changes but ensure you have proper backups before applying any system updates

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

Fix this in Publisher Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,980
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Scan for this in your stack

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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-2011-3410 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data