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CVE-2009-3129

Microsoft Excel Featheader Record Memory Corruption

7.8 HIGHActively exploited (CISA KEV)Public exploitEPSS 84.0%
  1. Published11 Nov 2009
  2. Added to CISA KEV3 Mar 2022
  3. Remediation due24 Mar 2022
Actively exploited (CISA KEV)

Microsoft Office Excel allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a spreadsheet with a FEATHEADER record containing an invalid cbHdrData size element that affects a pointer offset.

Added to KEV: 3 Mar 2022Federal remediation due: 24 Mar 2022

Description

Microsoft Office Excel 2002 SP3, 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP1 and SP2; Office 2004 and 2008 for Mac; Open XML File Format Converter for Mac; Office Excel Viewer 2003 SP3; Office Excel Viewer SP1 and SP2; and Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats SP1 and SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a spreadsheet with a FEATHEADER record containing an invalid cbHdrData size element that affects a pointer offset, aka "Excel Featheader Record Memory Corruption Vulnerability."

CVSS 3.1 breakdown

Attack vectorLocal
Attack complexityLow
Privileges requiredNone
User interactionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

Microsoft Excel2002 · 2003 · 2007
Microsoft Excel Viewer2003
Microsoft Office2004 · 2008
Microsoft Open Xml File Format Converterall versions

Remediation

No fixed version is recorded in the NVD data. Check the vendor advisory for the latest guidance.

Frequently asked

Is CVE-2009-3129 being actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2009-3129 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added 3 Mar 2022.

How severe is CVE-2009-3129?

CVE-2009-3129 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated high. EPSS estimates a 84.0% probability of exploitation.

Which products are affected by CVE-2009-3129?

Affected products include Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Excel Viewer, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Open Xml File Format Converter.

How do I fix CVE-2009-3129?

Apply the vendor's patch or advisory guidance, then verify no affected versions remain across your devices.

How Secuno handles this

Secuno correlates vulnerabilities like CVE-2009-3129 against the real software inventory on every managed device, every day. Rather than a static severity, each match is scored in context: exploit availability, EPSS, the asset's exposure, and business criticality decide where it lands in the queue. Because it is on the CISA KEV list, Secuno flags any affected asset as top-priority automatically. If an affected version is present anywhere across your portfolio, it surfaces automatically with a prioritised remediation path.

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Data from the NVD, CISA KEV catalog and FIRST EPSS. CVSS 3.1 base score shown where available.