# CVE-2026-20946: Microsoft Excel Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2026-20946 is fixed in 2 products on 1 platform, first by KB5002831, released January 13, 2026. It is not reported as exploited. Patch Radar priority: High.

- Web page: https://patchblox.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-20946
- Priority: High
- CVSS: 7.8 (Important)
- EPSS: 0.0065
- CISA KEV: not listed
- Exploited (vendor report): no
- Publicly disclosed: no
- Vendor exploitability assessment: Exploitation Less Likely
- Published: Jan 13, 2026
- Weakness: Out-of-bounds Read
- Vendor advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2026-20946

## Description

<p>Out-of-bounds read in Microsoft Office Excel allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code locally.</p>

## Where it's fixed

| Platform | Product | Fixed in | Fix | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | Microsoft Excel 2016 (32-bit edition) |  | [KB5002831](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/microsoft/kb5002831.md) | Jan 13, 2026 |
| Microsoft | Microsoft Excel 2016 (64-bit edition) |  | [KB5002831](https://patchblox.com/security/data/fix/microsoft/kb5002831.md) | Jan 13, 2026 |

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Data as of 2026-11-08T13:06:02Z UTC. Source: Patchblox Patch Radar (https://patchblox.com/security/patch-radar). Patchblox finds out-of-date software on Windows, macOS and Linux and updates it through release rings: https://patchblox.com/demo

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