# CVE-2009-0556: Microsoft Office PowerPoint Code Injection

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via a malicious PowerPoint file exploiting memory corruption in Microsoft Office PowerPoint.

- **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 7 Jan 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:** 3 Apr 2009
- **Updated:** 8 Jan 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w25v-2mf8-86hr

## What is CVE-2009-0556?

CVE-2009-0556 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Powerpoint, published on 3 Apr 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

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."

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-0556?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Microsoft Office Powerpoint, Microsoft Powerpoint.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-0556?

No fix has been published for CVE-2009-0556 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 28 Jan 2026.

## Is CVE-2009-0556 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2009-0556 in the wild since at least 7 Jan 2026.

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Powerpoint

- [CVE-2009-0202](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0202/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2009-0220](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0220/): Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in the PowerPoint 4.0 importer (PP4X32.DLL) in Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2000 SP3, 2002 SP3, and 200 (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2009-0221](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0221/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2009-0222](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0222/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2009-0223](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0223/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-0556 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-0556 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Powerpoint, published on 3 Apr 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-2009-0556 in the wild since at least 7 Jan 2026.

Affected product: Microsoft Powerpoint. 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-2009-0556/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0556/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-0556
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-0556
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-0556

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0556/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.