# CVE-2010-0278: Denial of service in n/a

> Remote attackers can crash Windows Live Messenger via a crafted ActiveX call, requiring an active session and user interaction.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Jan 2010
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-phfg-g4q8-45r5

## What is CVE-2010-0278?

CVE-2010-0278 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Jan 2010. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A certain ActiveX control in msgsc.14.0.8089.726.dll in Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 2009 build 14.0.8089.726 on Windows Vista and Windows 7 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (msnmsgr.exe crash) by calling the ViewProfile method with a crafted argument during an MSN Messenger session.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2010-0278?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Microsoft Windows Live Messenger.

## How do I fix CVE-2010-0278?

No fix has been published for CVE-2010-0278 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2010-0278 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2010-0278 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 2009 - ActiveX Denial of Service (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2006-3250](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-3250/): Memory corruption in n/a (medium 5.1)
- [CVE-2009-0647](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0647/): Denial of service in n/a (medium 5.0)
- [CVE-2008-5828](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5828/): Information disclosure in n/a (medium 5.0)
- [CVE-2007-5144](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-5144/): Memory corruption in n/a (medium 4.3)
- [CVE-2006-6252](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-6252/): Denial of service in n/a (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2010-0278 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2010-0278 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Jan 2010. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2010-0278 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2010-0278/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0278/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-0278
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-0278
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2010-0278

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0278/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.