Critical Outlook CVE-2023-23397 Exploit Explains Why Patch Speed Matters

Security researchers and Microsoft have confirmed a critical flaw in the Outlook email client designated as CVE-2023-23397, which carries a top severity score of 9.8 out of 10. This vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild, making it one of the most dangerous weaknesses currently facing enterprise environments. The speed and simplicity of the attack mean that simply receiving a malicious email can expose a system to compromise, even if the user does not open or read the message. The exploit hinges on a calendar event embedded in the message that triggers code execution as soon as the Outlook client is opened, creating a window for an attacker to move laterally within a network. This immediate risk underscores why organizations must treat any unexpected calendar invites with suspicion and apply patches promptly. (Forbes)