---
title: "CVE-2021-38646: Microsoft Office Access Connectivity… | CubePath"
description: "Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability"
language: en
source: https://cubepath.com/security/cve/CVE-2021-38646
---

# CVE-2021-38646: Microsoft Office Access Connectivity… | CubePath

## Description

Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Official description from the CVE record, published by microsoft. Copyright © 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. See [/security/cve/legal](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal) for the CVE license. [View the record on cve.org](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-38646)

## Key data

### CVSS 3.1 High 7.8

Score published by microsoft in the CVE record.

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

| Metric                 | Value     | What it means                                                                             |
| ---------------------- | --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Attack vector          | Local     | The attacker needs local access to the system, or to trick a user into running something. |
| Attack complexity      | Low       | No special conditions are needed. The attack can be repeated at will.                     |
| Privileges required    | None      | No account or privileges are needed.                                                      |
| User interaction       | Required  | A user has to do something first, such as opening a file or following a link.             |
| Scope                  | Unchanged | The impact stays within the vulnerable component.                                         |
| Confidentiality impact | High      | Serious or total effect on the secrecy of data.                                           |
| Integrity impact       | High      | Serious or total effect on the trustworthiness of data.                                   |
| Availability impact    | High      | Serious or total effect on availability.                                                  |

CVSS is owned and managed by FIRST.Org, Inc. (FIRST) and is used by permission. Each CVSS score on this site is shown together with its vector string, as published in the CVE record by the source named next to it. Learn more at [first.org/cvss](https://www.first.org/cvss/) .

### EPSS

Exploit Prediction Scoring System by FIRST: an estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days.

Score

0.07987 (8.0% probability)

Percentile

94.8%

Scores of

Nov 10, 2026

Model

v2026.06.15

### CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

This CVE is listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Name in the catalog

Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Added to the catalog

Mar 28, 2022

Federal due date

Apr 18, 2022

Ransomware campaigns

Known use

### CISA assessment as of Feb 4, 2025

Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization (SSVC) decision points added by CISA.

Exploitation

Recorded by CISA as active

Automatable

no

Technical impact

total

## Affected products

Products listed in the CVE record, as the CNA published them.

- Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise

  - affected: 16.0.1 up to before https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases
- Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1

  - affected: 15.0.0 up to before 5381.1000
- Microsoft Office 2016

  - affected: 16.0.0 up to before 5215.1000
- Microsoft Office 2019

  - affected: 19.0.0 up to before https://aka.ms/OfficeSecurityReleases

## References

Links listed in the CVE record. They lead to other sites, which CubePath does not control.

- [Microsoft Office Access Connectivity Engine Remote Code Execution Vulnerability](https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2021-38646)  (msrc.microsoft.com) vendor-advisory patch
- [portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/…](https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2021-38646)

## Timeline

1. ID reserved Aug 13, 2021
2. Record published Sep 15, 2021
3. Added to CISA KEV Mar 28, 2022
4. Record last updated Aug 10, 2026

## Look up another CVE

## About CubePath

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Data from the CVE Program (MITRE), CISA KEV and FIRST EPSS. CVSS is owned by FIRST and used by permission. Not affiliated with or endorsed by MITRE, CISA or FIRST. Data as of Nov 10, 2026, 20:04 UTC. [Sources and licenses](https://cubepath.com/security/cve/legal)