dbcve.org
PublisherApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2013-1321

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 check the data type of an unspecified return value, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Publisher file, aka "Publisher Return Value Validation 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 data type of an unspecified return value during file parsing. This improper validation allows a memory corruption condition that can be triggered by a specially crafted .pub file, leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the user opening the file.

MitigationUpgrade from Microsoft Publisher 2003 to a supported version, or remove Publisher 2003 from affected systems. Until then, enforce strict policies against opening Publisher files from untrusted sources and enable Office file validation features.

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
    Check for the presence of Microsoft Publisher 2003 by examining the registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Publisher\InstallRoot, or look for MSPUB.EXE in the Program Files directory (typically C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office11\)
    Affected if The registry key exists or MSPUB.EXE is found in the Office11 folder, indicating Publisher 2003 is installed
  2. Confirm the exact Publisher version is 2003
    Right-click on MSPUB.EXE, select Properties, and check the Version tab to confirm the product version displays as 2003 (or version 11.0, which is the Office 2003 internal version number)
    Affected if The version shown is exactly 2003 (11.0), matching the affected version range
  3. Verify .pub file handling is enabled
    Check if .pub file associations are configured to open with Publisher by examining the registry key HKCR\.pub\Open\Command, or simply attempt to open any .pub file to see if Publisher 2003 launches
    Affected if .pub files are associated with Publisher 2003 and the application can be invoked to parse files
  4. Check if Publisher 2003 Service Pack 3 is applied
    Open Publisher 2003, go to Help menu, and click About Microsoft Office Publisher to view the installed updates; the vulnerability specifically affects SP3, so verify the SP level displayed in the about dialog
    Affected if The About dialog shows Service Pack 3 is installed, confirming the vulnerable version

A system is affected if Microsoft Publisher 2003 (version 11.0) with Service Pack 3 is installed and .pub files can be opened with this application, allowing the vulnerable file parsing code to execute.

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

Upgrade from Microsoft Publisher 2003 to a supported version, or remove Publisher 2003 from affected systems. Until then, enforce strict policies against opening Publisher files from untrusted sources and enable Office file validation features.

Recommended fix High confidence

Upgrade to Microsoft Office 2016 or Microsoft 365 (Office 2021/2024)

  1. Apply Microsoft Security Bulletin MS13-042, which addresses CVE-2013-1321. Download the security update for Microsoft Publisher 2003 from the Microsoft Download Center or through Windows Update.
  2. Verify the update is installed by checking the installed updates via Control Panel > Programs and Features > View installed updates.
  3. Alternatively, if Publisher 2003 support is no longer available, upgrade to a supported version of Microsoft Office such as Office 2016 or Microsoft 365, which includes Publisher and receives ongoing security updates.
Caveat Office 2003 reached end of support in April 2014; moving to newer Office versions may require file format migration and compatibility testing for existing Publisher files

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

Fix this in Publisher Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
15.0 hours of engineering $2,690
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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-2013-1321 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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