CVE-2009-0563

CVE-2009-0563 is a high-severity vulnerability in Microsoft Office with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, confirming it has been exploited in the wild (added 2022-06-08). The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-787.

Key facts

Description

Stack-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office Word 2002 SP3, 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP1 and SP2; Microsoft Office for Mac 2004 and 2008; Open XML File Format Converter for Mac; Microsoft Office Word Viewer 2003 SP3; Microsoft Office Word Viewer; and Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats SP1 and SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a Word document with a crafted tag containing an invalid length field, aka "Word Buffer Overflow Vulnerability."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2009-0563?
Stack-based buffer overflow in Microsoft Office Word 2002 SP3, 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP1 and SP2; Microsoft Office for Mac 2004 and 2008; Open XML File Format Converter for Mac; Microsoft Office Word Viewer 2003 SP3; Microsoft Office Word Viewer; and Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats SP1 and SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a Word document with a crafted tag containing an invalid length field, aka "Word Buffer Overflow Vulnerability."
How severe is CVE-2009-0563?
CVE-2009-0563 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2009-0563 being actively exploited?
Yes. CVE-2009-0563 is on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added on 2022-06-08, which means active exploitation has been confirmed. It should be prioritised for remediation.
What products are affected by CVE-2009-0563?
CVE-2009-0563 primarily affects Microsoft Office. In total, 12 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2009-0563?
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-2009-0563 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?
Yes. CVE-2009-0563 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2009-0567. It is also flagged as exploited in the EUVD (since 2022-06-08).
When was CVE-2009-0563 published?
CVE-2009-0563 was published on 2009-06-10 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (12)

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