CVE-2009-0556
Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000 SP3, 2002 SP3, and 2003 SP3, and PowerPoint in Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac, allows remote attackers to execute…
Browse: All 2009 CVEs · All vendors
- CVSS score
- 8.8 High
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H- CISA KEV
- Yes — actively exploited (added 2026-01-07, remediation due 2026-01-28)
- Weakness (CWE)
- CWE-94
- Published
- 2009-04-03
- Last modified
- 2026-06-16
- NVD status
- Analyzed
Description
Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000 SP3, 2002 SP3, and 2003 SP3, and PowerPoint in Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a PowerPoint file with an OutlineTextRefAtom containing an an invalid index value that triggers memory corruption, as exploited in the wild in April 2009 by Exploit:Win32/Apptom.gen, aka "Memory Corruption Vulnerability."
Affected products
- microsoft office powerpoint
- microsoft powerpoint
Affected ranges per NVD CPE data; confirm exact versions in the vendor advisory.
Required action (CISA)
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Federal remediation deadline: 2026-01-28.
How to prioritize this
This vulnerability is on the CISA KEV list, meaning it is being actively exploited — treat it as urgent regardless of the raw CVSS number. Use the live CVE lookup for the latest NVD data, and the CVSS 3.1 calculator to model your own environmental score.
References
- http://blogs.technet.com/mmpc/archive/2009/04/02/new-0-day-exploits-using-powerpoint-files.aspx
- http://blogs.technet.com/msrc/archive/2009/04/02/microsoft-security-advisory-969136.aspx
- http://blogs.technet.com/srd/archive/2009/04/02/investigating-the-new-powerpoint-issue.aspx
- http://osvdb.org/53182
- http://secunia.com/advisories/34572
- http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/627331
- http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/969136.mspx
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/503453/100/0/threaded
FAQ
Is CVE-2009-0556 actively exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2009-0556 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2026-01-07, with a federal remediation deadline of 2026-01-28. A KEV listing means real-world exploitation is confirmed, so patching this should be prioritized above many higher-CVSS bugs that aren't being exploited.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2009-0556?
CVE-2009-0556 has a CVSS base score of 8.8 (High). Its vector string is CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
Related vulnerabilities
- CVE-2009-0238 — Microsoft Office
- CVE-2026-21514 — Microsoft Office
- CVE-2026-21509 — Microsoft Office
- CVE-2007-0671 — Microsoft Office
- CVE-2023-23397 — Microsoft Office
- CVE-2023-21715 — Microsoft Office
Data source: NVD & CISA KEV. Shown as-is; nothing added. Last generated from NVD data — re-check the live tool for updates.
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