November 13, 2026 Follow Egret
CVE-2021-38646 · CVE record: PUBLISHED

Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Microsoft Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise, Microsoft Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1, Microsoft Microsoft Office 2016, Microsoft Microsoft Office 2019

Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Exploitation evidence

Known exploited · CISA KEV listed

Added 2022-03-28. Ransomware campaign use: Known.

CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA due date: 2022-04-18. This is the catalog’s deadline, not an assessment of your organization’s exposure.

KEV checked 13 Nov 2026, 00:20 Jerusalem · Original catalog ↗

Reported products and versions

Microsoft / Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise

Default status: Not specified

  • affected: 16.0.1 to < https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases (custom)

Microsoft / Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1

Default status: Not specified

  • affected: 15.0.0 to < 5381.1000 (custom)

Microsoft / Microsoft Office 2016

Default status: Not specified

  • affected: 16.0.0 to < 5215.1000 (custom)

Microsoft / Microsoft Office 2019

Default status: Not specified

  • affected: 19.0.0 to < https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases (custom)

Fixes and workarounds

No explicit solution text in the downloaded CVE record. Consult the vendor advisory; unaffected version ranges are shown above as reported, not inferred as a patch recommendation.

Sources and related reporting

CVE Program record ↗ · Download tracked evidence as JSON

Observed change timeline

History begins when Egret first downloads each source. It is not the complete upstream CVE history.

12 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-12",
  "epss": 0.07987,
  "percentile": 0.94836
}
10 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-10",
  "epss": 0.07987,
  "percentile": 0.94804
}
09 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-09",
  "epss": 0.07987,
  "percentile": 0.94797
}
08 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-08",
  "epss": 0.07987,
  "percentile": 0.94795
}
07 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-07",
  "epss": 0.07987,
  "percentile": 0.94791
}
06 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-06",
  "epss": 0.07987,
  "percentile": 0.94782
}
06 Nov 2026, 06:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-05",
  "epss": 0.07987,
  "percentile": 0.94778
}
05 Nov 2026, 06:20 Jerusalem · CVE Program record changed

Stored CNA snapshot at this observation.

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2024-08-04T01:51:18.926Z",
          "orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
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        },
        "references": [
          {
            "tags": [
              "x_refsource_MISC",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-38646"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CVE Program Container"
      },
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2021-38646",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "active"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "no"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "total"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2025-02-04T18:11:37.868401Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          },
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "dateAdded": "2022-03-28",
                "reference": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-38646"
              },
              "type": "kev"
            }
          }
        ],
        "problemTypes": [
          {
            "descriptions": [
              {
                "description": "CWE-noinfo Not enough information",
                "lang": "en",
                "type": "CWE"
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2025-10-21T23:25:33.296Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "references": [
          {
            "tags": [
              "government-resource"
            ],
            "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-38646"
          }
        ],
        "timeline": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "time": "2022-03-28T00:00:00.000Z",
            "value": "CVE-2021-38646 added to CISA KEV"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "platforms": [
            "32-bit Systems",
            "x64-based Systems"
          ],
          "product": "Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise",
          "vendor": "Microsoft",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "16.0.1",
              "versionType": "custom"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "platforms": [
            "32-bit Systems",
            "ARM64-based Systems",
            "x64-based Systems"
          ],
          "product": "Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1",
          "vendor": "Microsoft",
          "versions": [
            {
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              "status": "affected",
              "version": "15.0.0",
              "versionType": "custom"
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "platforms": [
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            "x64-based Systems"
          ],
          "product": "Microsoft Office 2016",
          "vendor": "Microsoft",
          "versions": [
            {
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              "status": "affected",
              "version": "16.0.0",
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          ]
        },
        {
          "platforms": [
            "32-bit Systems",
            "x64-based Systems"
          ],
          "product": "Microsoft Office 2019",
          "vendor": "Microsoft",
          "versions": [
            {
              "lessThan": "https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases",
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "19.0.0",
              "versionType": "custom"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "cpeApplicability": [
        {
          "nodes": [
            {
              "cpeMatch": [
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                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office_2019:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "19.0.0",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:365_apps:*:*:*:*:enterprise:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "16.0.1",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office_2016:*:*:*:*:*:*:x86:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "5215.1000",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "16.0.0",
                  "vulnerable": true
                },
                {
                  "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office_2013:*:sp1:*:*:rt:*:*:*",
                  "versionEndExcluding": "5381.1000",
                  "versionStartIncluding": "15.0.0",
                  "vulnerable": true
                }
              ],
              "negate": false,
              "operator": "OR"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "datePublic": "2021-09-14T14:00:00.000Z",
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en-US",
          "value": "Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability"
        }
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "cvssV3_1": {
            "baseScore": 7.8,
            "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
            "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:U/RL:O/RC:C",
            "version": "3.1"
          },
          "format": "CVSS",
          "scenarios": [
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              "lang": "en-US",
              "value": "GENERAL"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "description": "Remote Code Execution",
              "lang": "en-US",
              "type": "Impact"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2026-08-10T15:11:01.156Z",
        "orgId": "f38d906d-7342-40ea-92c1-6c4a2c6478c8",
        "shortName": "microsoft"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "name": "Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability",
          "tags": [
            "vendor-advisory",
            "patch"
          ],
          "url": "https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38646"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability"
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "f38d906d-7342-40ea-92c1-6c4a2c6478c8",
    "assignerShortName": "microsoft",
    "cveId": "CVE-2021-38646",
    "datePublished": "2021-09-15T11:24:06.000Z",
    "dateReserved": "2021-08-13T00:00:00.000Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2026-08-10T15:11:01.156Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.2"
}
04 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-04",
  "epss": 0.07987,
  "percentile": 0.94774
}
03 Nov 2026, 18:20 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-03",
  "epss": 0.07987,
  "percentile": 0.94765
}
03 Nov 2026, 02:22 Jerusalem · EPSS observation updated

Stored EPSS snapshot at this observation.

{
  "date": "2026-11-02",
  "epss": 0.07987,
  "percentile": 0.94758
}
03 Nov 2026, 02:22 Jerusalem · CISA KEV status changed

Stored KEV snapshot at this observation.

{
  "cveID": "CVE-2021-38646",
  "cwes": [],
  "dateAdded": "2022-03-28",
  "dueDate": "2022-04-18",
  "forensicTriage": "No",
  "knownRansomwareCampaignUse": "Known",
  "notes": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-38646",
  "product": "Office",
  "requiredAction": "Apply updates per vendor instructions.",
  "shortDescription": "Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine contains an unspecified vulnerability which can allow for remote code execution.",
  "vendorProject": "Microsoft",
  "vulnerabilityName": "Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability"
}
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