How severe is CVE-2009-0556?

CVE-2009-0556 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-2009-0556 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2009-0556 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2026-01-07, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.

What products are affected by CVE-2009-0556?

CVE-2009-0556 primarily affects Microsoft Office Powerpoint. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2009-0556?

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-2009-0556 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2009-0556 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2009-0560. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2026-01-07).

When was CVE-2009-0556 published?

CVE-2009-0556 was published on 2009-04-03 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2009-0556

CVE-2009-0556 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Office Powerpoint 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 2026-01-07). 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: 68% (99th percentile)
Actively exploited: Yes — listed in CISA KEV (added 2026-01-07)
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2009-0560
EU exploitation: Flagged exploited in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (since 2026-01-07)
Weakness: CWE-94
Affected product: Microsoft Office Powerpoint
Published: 2009-04-03
Last modified: 2026-06-16

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."

Frequently asked questions

What is 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 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."
How severe is CVE-2009-0556?: CVE-2009-0556 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-2009-0556 being actively exploited?: Yes. CVE-2009-0556 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2026-01-07, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2009-0556?: CVE-2009-0556 primarily affects Microsoft Office Powerpoint. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2009-0556?: 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-2009-0556 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2009-0556 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2009-0560. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2026-01-07).
When was CVE-2009-0556 published?: CVE-2009-0556 was published on 2009-04-03 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:office_powerpoint:2004:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:powerpoint:2000:sp3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:powerpoint:2002:sp3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:powerpoint:2003:sp3:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office Powerpoint

CVE-2009-0202 — Critical (CVSS 9.3): Array index error in FL21WIN.DLL in the PowerPoint Freelance Windows 2.1 Translator in Microsoft PowerPoint 2000 and…
CVE-2009-1137 — Critical (CVSS 9.3): Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000 SP3, 2002 SP3, and 2003 SP3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via…
CVE-2009-1131 — Critical (CVSS 9.3): Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000 SP3 allow remote attackers to execute…
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CVE-2009-1129 — Critical (CVSS 9.3): Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in the PowerPoint 95 importer (PP7X32.DLL) in Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000…
CVE-2009-1128 — Critical (CVSS 9.3): Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000 SP3, 2002 SP3, and 2003 SP3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via…

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