How severe is CVE-2009-0238?

CVE-2009-0238 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2009-0238 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2009-0238 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2026-04-14, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.

What products are affected by CVE-2009-0238?

CVE-2009-0238 primarily affects Microsoft Excel. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2009-0238?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.

Does CVE-2009-0238 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2009-0238 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2009-0246. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2026-04-14).

When was CVE-2009-0238 published?

CVE-2009-0238 was published on 2009-02-25 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2009-0238

CVE-2009-0238 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Excel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2026-04-14). The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-94.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 9.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 43% (99th percentile)
Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2026-04-14)
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2009-0246
EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2026-04-14)
Weakness: CWE-94
Affected product: Microsoft Excel
Published: 2009-02-25
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Microsoft Office Excel 2000 SP3, 2002 SP3, 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP1; Excel Viewer 2003 Gold and SP3; Excel Viewer; Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats SP1; and Excel in Microsoft Office 2004 and 2008 for Mac allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Excel document that triggers an access attempt on an invalid object, as exploited in the wild in February 2009 by Trojan.Mdropper.AC.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2009-0238?: Microsoft Office Excel 2000 SP3, 2002 SP3, 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP1; Excel Viewer 2003 Gold and SP3; Excel Viewer; Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats SP1; and Excel in Microsoft Office 2004 and 2008 for Mac allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Excel document that triggers an access attempt on an invalid object, as exploited in the wild in February 2009 by Trojan.Mdropper.AC.
How severe is CVE-2009-0238?: CVE-2009-0238 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2009-0238 being actively exploited?: Yes. CVE-2009-0238 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2026-04-14, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2009-0238?: CVE-2009-0238 primarily affects Microsoft Excel. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2009-0238?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Because this CVE is known to be actively exploited, treat remediation as urgent — CISA KEV typically sets a short remediation deadline.
Does CVE-2009-0238 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2009-0238 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2009-0246. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2026-04-14).
When was CVE-2009-0238 published?: CVE-2009-0238 was published on 2009-02-25 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (10)

cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:excel:2000:sp3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:excel:2002:sp3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:excel:2003:sp3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:excel:2007:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:excel_viewer:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2004:*:*:*:*:macos:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office:2008:*:*:*:*:macos:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office_compatibility_pack:2007:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office_excel_viewer:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office_excel_viewer:2003:sp3:*:*:*:*:*:*

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