CVE-2009-0556

What the flaw is

Microsoft Office PowerPoint contains a code injection vulnerability that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a PowerPoint file with an OutlineTextRefAtom containing an invalid index value that triggers memory corruption.

Description as published by CISA. We have not independently reproduced it.

What CISA requires

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

This deadline is binding on US federal civilian agencies under BOD 22-01. It is not a legal deadline for anyone else, but it is a useful urgency signal — CISA sets it by how actively the flaw is being used, not by CVSS.

Public exploit code

1 public repository referencing this CVE has been catalogued on GitHub. Treat this as a strong signal to prioritise patching, not as a verified working exploit — many such repositories are scanners, write-ups or forks rather than functional code.

• ARPSyndicate/cve-scores

Vendor advisories

• learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2009/ms09-017
• nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-0556

Primary sources

• NVD entry — CVSS score, CPE list and references
• CISA KEV catalog — the source for this page
• CVE Record at cve.org