CVE-2026-20953

FAQ

According to the CVSS metric, the attack vector is local (AV:L). Why does the CVE title indicate that this is a remote code execution?

The word Remote in the title refers to the location of the attacker. This type of exploit is sometimes referred to as Arbitrary Code Execution (ACE). The attack itself is carried out locally. This means an attacker or victim needs to execute code from the local machine to exploit the vulnerability.

How could an attacker exploit this vulnerability?

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would first have to log on to the system. An attacker could then run a specially crafted application that could exploit the vulnerability and take control of an affected system.

Additionally, an attacker could convince a local user to open a malicious file. The attacker would have to convince the user to click a link, typically by way of an enticement in an email or instant message, and then convince them to open the specially crafted file.

How could an attacker exploit this vulnerability?

Exploitation of this vulnerability requires that an attacker send a malicious link to the victim via email, or that they convince the user to click the link, typically by way of an enticement in an email or Instant Messenger message. In the worst-case email attack scenario, an attacker could send a specially crafted email to the user without a requirement that the victim open, read, or click on the link. This could result in the attacker executing remote code on the victim's machine. When multiple attack vectors can be used, we assign a score based on the scenario with the higher risk (UI:N).

Is the Preview Pane an attack vector for this vulnerability?

Yes, the Preview Pane is an attack vector.