# CVE-2008-0015: Microsoft Windows Video ActiveX Control Remote Code Execution

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via a crafted web page exploiting a stack-based buffer overflow in the Microsoft Video ActiveX control.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 17 Feb 2026 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Jul 2009
- **Updated:** 18 Feb 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h58h-8g45-v677

## What is CVE-2008-0015?

CVE-2008-0015 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, published on 7 Jul 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Stack-based buffer overflow in the CComVariant::ReadFromStream function in the Active Template Library (ATL), as used in the MPEG2TuneRequest ActiveX control in msvidctl.dll in DirectShow, in Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, XP SP2 and SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista Gold, SP1, and SP2, and Server 2008 Gold and SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web page, as exploited in the wild in July 2009, aka "Microsoft Video ActiveX Control Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer), CWE-121 (Stack-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-0015?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, Microsoft Windows Xp.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-0015?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-0015 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 10 Mar 2026.

## Is CVE-2008-0015 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2008-0015 in the wild since at least 17 Feb 2026.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft DirectShow (msvidctl.dll) MPEG-2 Memory Corruption (metasploit)
- Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 Video - ActiveX Remote Buffer Overflow (exploitdb)
- Microsoft DirectShow - 'msvidctl.dll' MPEG-2 Memory Corruption (MS09-032/MS09-037) (Metasploit) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows 2003 Server

- [CVE-2015-1701](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1701/): Microsoft Win32k Privilege Escalation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-5065](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-5065/): Microsoft Windows Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2011-1268](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1268/): Code injection in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-1868](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1868/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2011-0661](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-0661/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-0015 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-0015 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, published on 7 Jul 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2008-0015 in the wild since at least 17 Feb 2026.

Affected product: Microsoft Windows 2003 Server. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0015/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0015/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-0015
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-0015
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-0015

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0015/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.