dbcve.org
PublisherApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2013-1316

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2013-05-15
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 Publisher 2003 SP3 does not properly validate the size of an unspecified array, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Publisher file, aka "Publisher Negative Value Allocation 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

Microsoft Publisher 2003 SP3 fails to properly validate the size parameter when allocating memory for an array. When processing a specially crafted Publisher file, a negative value can be passed as the array size, causing the application to allocate an undersized buffer and subsequently write beyond its bounds, enabling arbitrary code execution.

MitigationApply the Microsoft security update (MS13-030) to patch Publisher 2003 SP3, or migrate to a supported version of Microsoft Office. Until patched, avoid opening Publisher files from untrusted 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

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. Verify Microsoft Publisher 2003 is installed
    Open Control Panel > Programs and Features, or run 'appwiz.cpl', and look for Microsoft Publisher 2003 in the installed programs list
    Affected if Microsoft Publisher 2003 is not listed as installed - not affected
  2. Confirm the exact Publisher 2003 version number
    Open Publisher 2003, go to Help > About Microsoft Office Publisher, and note the version displayed (e.g., 11.0.xxxx)
    Affected if Version shown is not 11.x (Publisher 2003) - not affected
  3. Verify Service Pack 3 is applied
    In the same About dialog or in Control Panel > Programs > View installed updates, look for 'Service Pack 3' or KB article references for Office 2003 SP3
    Affected if Service Pack 3 is not installed - not affected (the vulnerability specifically affects SP3)
  4. Understand the attack vector
    This vulnerability is triggered when processing a specially crafted .pub file. The flaw exists in the code that handles file parsing, not in a configurable feature
    Affected if Publisher 2003 SP3 is installed and running - the vulnerable code is present and can be invoked when opening a malicious file

A user is affected if Microsoft Publisher 2003 with Service Pack 3 is installed and they open a specially crafted Publisher file, as the vulnerable memory allocation code resides in the SP3 version and is invoked during file parsing.

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 (MS13-030) to patch Publisher 2003 SP3, or migrate to a supported version of Microsoft Office. Until patched, avoid opening Publisher files from untrusted sources.

Recommended fix High confidence

Microsoft 365 Apps or Office 2019/2021 (supported versions with Publisher)

  1. 1. Determine if your organization has extended support agreements with Microsoft for Office 2003 (note: standard support ended April 8, 2014)
  2. 2. If extended support is not available, upgrade to a supported Microsoft Office version (such as Microsoft 365 Apps, Office 2021, or Office 2019) which includes Microsoft Publisher
  3. 3. Alternatively, if you must remain on Office 2003, check Microsoft's security update catalog for patch MS13-042 which addressed this specific vulnerability
  4. 4. Apply the appropriate security update through Windows Update or Microsoft Update Catalog
  5. 5. After updating, verify the patch was successfully installed by checking installed updates for the relevant KB article
Caveat Upgrading from Office 2003 to newer versions may require license purchase, and file format compatibility should be tested. Some legacy features may not be available in newer versions.

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

Fix this in Publisher Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
20.0 hours of engineering $3,500
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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-2013-1316 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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