# CVE-2010-10015: AOL <= 9.5 Phobos.Playlist 'Import()' Stack-Based Buffer Overflow

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via a stack-based buffer overflow in AOL's Phobos.dll ActiveX control when a malicious HTML file is opened locally.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 21 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 15 May 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mgmx-v8vm-g2vc

## What is CVE-2010-10015?

CVE-2010-10015 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in AOL, published on 21 Aug 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

AOL versions up to and including 9.5 includes an ActiveX control (Phobos.dll) that exposes a method called Import() via the Phobos.Playlist COM object. This method is vulnerable to a stack-based buffer overflow when provided with an excessively long string argument. Exploitation allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of the user, but only when the malicious HTML file is opened locally, due to the control not being marked safe for scripting or initialization. AOL remains an active and supported brand offering services like AOL Mail and AOL Desktop Gold, but the legacy AOL 9.5 desktop software—specifically the version containing the vulnerable Phobos.dll ActiveX control—is long discontinued and no longer maintained.

Weakness: CWE-121 (Stack-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2010-10015?


## How do I fix CVE-2010-10015?

No fix has been published for CVE-2010-10015 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2010-10015 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2010-10015 exists.

Public exploit code:

- AOL 9.5 Phobos.Playlist Import() Stack-based Buffer Overflow (metasploit)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2010-10015 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2010-10015 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in AOL, published on 21 Aug 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local 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-2010-10015 exists.

Affected product: AOL. 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-2010-10015/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-10015/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-10015
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-10015
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2010-10015

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-10015/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.