---
title: "CVE-2009-0238: Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2009-0238/
description: "CVE-2009-0238 (Microsoft Office): Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV). Microsoft Office Excel 2000 SP3, 2002 SP3, 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP1; Excel Viewer 2003…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2009-02-25
date_modified: 2026-04-15
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2009-0238"
kev: true
cvss: 8.8
epss: 0.42941
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2009-0238: Microsoft Office Remote Code Execution

**Signal:** Exploited: patch now if you run it. CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Yes, if you run Microsoft Office. CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-04-14, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild. US federal agencies must remediate by 2026-04-28 ; treat that as the outer limit, not the target.
- EPSS 42.9% , percentile 99: FIRST’s model estimates a 42.9% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 99% of all scored CVEs (very high). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs a user to click or open something. Phishing makes that realistic, but it is not wormable.

## What it is

Microsoft Office Excel 2000 SP3, 2002 SP3, 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP1; Excel Viewer 2003 Gold and SP3; Excel Viewer; Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 File Formats SP1; and Excel in Microsoft Office 2004 and 2008 for Mac allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted Excel document that triggers an access attempt on an invalid object, as exploited in the wild in February 2009 by Trojan.Mdropper.AC.

## Affected products (CVE record)

- n/a n/a: see advisory

## Severity

- CISA-ADP CVSS 3.1: 8.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: added 2026-04-14; federal due date 2026-04-28. Known ransomware use: Unknown.
- CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active , automatable no , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 42.94% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 99.

## Sources

- [MS09-009](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2009/ms09-009)
- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (learn.microsoft.com)](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2009/ms09-009)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2009-0238](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-0238)
- [NVD entry CVE-2009-0238](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-0238)
- [CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog entry](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2009-0238)
- [microsoft.com](http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/968272.mspx)
- [ADV-2009-1023](http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1023)
- [ms-excel-unspecified-code-execution(48875)](https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/48875)
- [TA09-104A](http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-104A.html)
- [33870](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/33870)
- [symantec.com](http://www.symantec.com/business/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2009-022310-4202-99)
- [oval:org.mitre.oval:def:5968](https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A5968)
- [isc.sans.org](http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=5923)
- [1021744](http://securitytracker.com/id?1021744)
- [blogs.zdnet.com](http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=2658)

---
Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2009-0238/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt