CVE-2005-2225

CVE-2005-2225 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Msn Messenger Service with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 16% places it in the 97th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation.

Key facts

Description

Microsoft MSN Messenger allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a plaintext message containing the ".pif" string, which is interpreted as a malicious file extension and causes users to be kicked from a group conversation. NOTE: it has been reported that Gaim is also affected, so this may be an issue in the protocol or MSN servers.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2005-2225?
Microsoft MSN Messenger allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a plaintext message containing the ".pif" string, which is interpreted as a malicious file extension and causes users to be kicked from a group conversation. NOTE: it has been reported that Gaim is also affected, so this may be an issue in the protocol or MSN servers.
How severe is CVE-2005-2225?
CVE-2005-2225 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2005-2225 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 16% (97th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2005-2225?
CVE-2005-2225 affects Microsoft Msn Messenger Service. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2005-2225?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2005-2225 published?
CVE-2005-2225 was published on 2005-07-12 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (1)