Title: Why CVE-2026-20950 is labeled “Remote Code Execution” even though CVSS lists AV:L (Local) — a practical guide for Windows admins
Introduction
Short answer: “Remote” in the CVE title describes the attacker’s location (they can be off‑host and deliver a malicious file remotely); the CVSS...
Short answer (TL;DR)
The CVE title says "Remote Code Execution" because a remote attacker can deliver a malicious Word file and cause code to run on the victim machine (attacker origin / impact).
The CVSS Attack Vector = Local (AV:L) because the vulnerable code actually executes inside a local...
Microsoft’s CVE entry for CVE-2025-62203 is labeled a “Remote Code Execution” (RCE) vulnerability for Excel even though the published CVSS vector records the Attack Vector as Local (AV:L) — and that apparent contradiction is intentional, rooted in the difference between impact messaging and...
Microsoft’s CVE entry for CVE-2025-62203 calls the Excel flaw a “Remote Code Execution” vulnerability, but the published CVSS vector marks the Attack Vector as Local (AV:L) — a distinction that looks contradictory at first glance but, in practice, reflects two different questions: what an...
Microsoft’s advisory for CVE-2025-59224 calls the bug a “Remote Code Execution” in Microsoft Excel while the published CVSS vector lists Attack Vector: Local (AV:L) — a phrasing that confuses many defenders. The apparent contradiction is semantic, not technical: the advisory’s “Remote” describes...