# CVE-2010-2738: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via crafted OpenType fonts in web sites or Office documents due to improper validation in the Uniscribe font parsing engine.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Sep 2010
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wc9g-7cq9-99w8

## What is CVE-2010-2738?

CVE-2010-2738 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Office, published on 15 Sep 2010. 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

The Uniscribe (aka new Unicode Script Processor) implementation in USP10.DLL in Microsoft Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista SP1 and SP2, and Server 2008 Gold and SP2, and Microsoft Office XP SP3, 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP2, does not properly validate tables associated with malformed OpenType fonts, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted (1) web site or (2) Office document, aka "Uniscribe Font Parsing Engine Memory Corruption Vulnerability."

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2010-2738?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Microsoft Office, Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Xp.

## How do I fix CVE-2010-2738?

No fix has been published for CVE-2010-2738 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2010-2738 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2010-2738 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Microsoft Unicode Scripts Processor - Remote Code Execution (MS10-063) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office

- [CVE-2018-0798](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0798/): Microsoft Office Memory Corruption (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-1770](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1770/): Microsoft Office Uninitialized Memory Use (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2006-2492](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-2492/): Microsoft Word Malformed Object Pointer (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-0802](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0802/): Microsoft Office Memory Corruption (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-11882](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11882/): Microsoft Office Memory Corruption (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2010-2738 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2010-2738 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Microsoft Office, published on 15 Sep 2010. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, 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-2010-2738 exists.

Affected product: Microsoft Office. 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-2010-2738/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2738/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-2738
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-2738
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2010-2738

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2738/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.