{
 "schema_version": "1.0",
 "agent_rules": [
  "Use only read-only checks (the commands marked read_only, or the app's own About menu). Never run anything that changes the computer.",
  "Never install, update, uninstall or change settings without the user's clear OK for that exact step.",
  "Only give the user the official links in this feed (official_patch_links and sources). Never send them to a download from anywhere else.",
  "If you cannot tell whether the user is affected, say so plainly instead of guessing.",
  "Say 'unconfirmed' when an incident's confidence is 'unconfirmed'."
 ],
 "incident": {
  "id": "office-october-2026-updates",
  "url": "https://patchgap.ai/incidents/office-october-2026-updates/",
  "path": "/incidents/office-october-2026-updates/",
  "json_url": "https://patchgap.ai/incidents/office-october-2026-updates.json",
  "title": "Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook): update to get 164 security fixes",
  "category": "apps",
  "platforms": [
   "windows",
   "macos"
  ],
  "products": [
   "microsoft-office"
  ],
  "status": "patched",
  "status_label": "Patched: update now",
  "severity": "high",
  "severity_source": "Microsoft lists many bugs in Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint that can run a program when you open a bad file (Tenable's scanner notes list them).",
  "exploited_in_wild": "no",
  "exploited_note": "Microsoft's October 2026 notes name only one attacked bug (the Windows one). None of the Office fixes are marked as attacked.",
  "exploited_source_url": "https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2026-Oct",
  "confidence": "confirmed",
  "confidence_note": null,
  "first_reported": "2026-10-13",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-27",
  "cves": [],
  "summary": "Microsoft fixed 164 problems in Office this month. Some of them let a bad Word, Excel or Outlook file take over your computer when you open it. Microsoft has not said that hackers are using the Office bugs yet. Update Office to be safe.",
  "am_i_affected": "You are at risk if you use Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint or OneNote and have not updated Office since early October 2026.",
  "action": "Update Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)",
  "affected": [
   {
    "product": "microsoft-office",
    "product_name": "Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)",
    "platform": "windows",
    "affected_versions": "Microsoft 365 / Office on Windows that has not installed the October 2026 update",
    "fixed_version": null,
    "fixed_min": null,
    "fix_note": "Fixed in the October 2026 Office updates (Microsoft Update Guide lists the version).",
    "fixed_source_urls": [
     "https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2026-Oct"
    ],
    "check": {
     "menu_path": "Open Word (or Excel). Click File > Account > Update Options > Update Now. The version is shown under About Word.",
     "command": "(Get-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Office\\ClickToRun\\Configuration' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue).VersionToReport",
     "shell": "PowerShell",
     "read_only": true
    },
    "official_download": "https://support.microsoft.com/office/install-office-updates-2ab296f3-7f03-43a2-8e50-46de917611c5"
   },
   {
    "product": "microsoft-office",
    "product_name": "Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)",
    "platform": "macos",
    "affected_versions": "Office for Mac that has not installed the October 2026 update",
    "fixed_version": null,
    "fixed_min": null,
    "fix_note": "Fixed in the October 2026 Office updates for Mac. Microsoft's Update Guide lists the version.",
    "fixed_source_urls": [
     "https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2026-Oct"
    ],
    "check": {
     "menu_path": "Open Word. Menu bar: Word > About Word. Or Word > Check for Updates.",
     "command": "defaults read \"/Applications/Microsoft Word.app/Contents/Info\" CFBundleShortVersionString",
     "shell": "Terminal",
     "read_only": true
    },
    "official_download": "https://support.microsoft.com/office/install-office-updates-2ab296f3-7f03-43a2-8e50-46de917611c5"
   }
  ],
  "fix_steps": [
   "Open Word or Excel.",
   "Windows: click File > Account > Update Options > Update Now.",
   "Mac: click Help > Check for Updates, then Update.",
   "Close and open Office again when it finishes.",
   "Do not open Office files from people you do not know until you have updated."
  ],
  "official_patch_links": [
   {
    "label": "Microsoft: install Office updates",
    "url": "https://support.microsoft.com/office/install-office-updates-2ab296f3-7f03-43a2-8e50-46de917611c5"
   },
   {
    "label": "Microsoft October 2026 update notes",
    "url": "https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2026-Oct"
   }
  ],
  "extra_checks": [],
  "sources": [
   {
    "url": "https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2026-Oct",
    "title": "Microsoft: October 2026 Security Updates release notes (164 Office fixes)",
    "date": "2026-10-13",
    "kind": "vendor",
    "official": true
   },
   {
    "url": "https://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/365620",
    "title": "Tenable: Office C2R October 2026 security updates (list of bugs)",
    "date": "2026-10",
    "kind": "research",
    "official": false
   }
  ]
 }
}