How severe is CVE-2006-6252?

CVE-2006-6252 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.3, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2006-6252 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 11% (95th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2006-6252?

CVE-2006-6252 affects Microsoft Windows Live Messenger. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2006-6252?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2006-6252 published?

CVE-2006-6252 was published on 2006-12-04 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2006-6252

CVE-2006-6252 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Windows Live Messenger with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.3. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 11% places it in the 95th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 4.3)
EPSS exploit prediction: 11% (95th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Microsoft Windows Live Messenger
Published: 2006-12-04
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 8.0 and earlier, when gestual emoticons are enabled, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a long string composed of ":D" sequences, which are interpreted as emoticons.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2006-6252?: Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 8.0 and earlier, when gestual emoticons are enabled, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a long string composed of ":D" sequences, which are interpreted as emoticons.
How severe is CVE-2006-6252?: CVE-2006-6252 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.3, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2006-6252 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 11% (95th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2006-6252?: CVE-2006-6252 affects Microsoft Windows Live Messenger. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2006-6252?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2006-6252 published?: CVE-2006-6252 was published on 2006-12-04 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:windows_live_messenger:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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