CVE-2009-0520

CVE-2009-0520 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Adobe Air with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 28% places it in the 98th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-119.

Key facts

• Severity: Critical (CVSS 2.0 base score 9.3)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 28% (98th percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-119
• Affected product: Adobe Air
• Published: 2009-02-26
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Adobe Flash Player 9.x before 9.0.159.0 and 10.x before 10.0.22.87 does not properly remove references to destroyed objects during Shockwave Flash file processing, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted file, related to a "buffer overflow issue."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2009-0520?

Adobe Flash Player 9.x before 9.0.159.0 and 10.x before 10.0.22.87 does not properly remove references to destroyed objects during Shockwave Flash file processing, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted file, related to a "buffer overflow issue."

How severe is CVE-2009-0520?

CVE-2009-0520 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 9.3, rated critical severity.

Is CVE-2009-0520 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 28% (98th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2009-0520?

CVE-2009-0520 primarily affects Adobe Air. In total, 38 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2009-0520?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2009-0520 published?

CVE-2009-0520 was published on 2009-02-26 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=5929
• http://labs.idefense.com/intelligence/vulnerabilities/display.php?id=773
• http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2009/May/msg00002.html
• http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2009-0332.html
• http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2009-0334.html
• http://secunia.com/advisories/34012
• http://secunia.com/advisories/34226
• http://secunia.com/advisories/34293
• http://secunia.com/advisories/35074
• http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200903-23.xml
• http://securitytracker.com/id?1021750
• http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-66-254909-1
• http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3549
• http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb09-01.html
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/33880
• http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-133A.html
• http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0513
• http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0743
• http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1297
• https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=487142
• https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/48887
• https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A16057
• https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A6593

Affected products (38)

• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:air:1.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:7.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:7.0.25:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:7.0.63:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:7.0.63:*:linux:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:7.0.69.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:7.0.70.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:7.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:8.0:*:basic:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:8.0:*:pro:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:8.0.24.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:8.0.34.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:8.0.35.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:8.0.39.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.20.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.28:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.28.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.31.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.45.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.47.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.48.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.112.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.114.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.115.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:9.0.124.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:10.0.0.584:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:10.0.12.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:cs3:*:pro:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player:cs4:*:pro:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flash_player_for_linux:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:adobe:flex:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Adobe Air

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• CVE-2015-8452 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.228 on Windows and…
• CVE-2015-8451 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 18.0.0.268 and 19.x and 20.x before 20.0.0.228 on Windows and OS X and before 11.2.202.554 on…

All CVEs affecting Adobe Air →

Other CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) vulnerabilities

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• CVE-2026-75784 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A vulnerability was detected in TRENDnet TEW-WLC100 1v2.07b01. Affected by this issue is the function FUN_0040da4c of…
• CVE-2026-74843 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A vulnerability was determined in Wavlink WN531P3 and WN535M1 V250922. Affected by this vulnerability is the function…
• CVE-2026-16367 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to invalid pointer in the Disability Access APIs component. This vulnerability was fixed in Firefox…
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Browse all CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) vulnerabilities →