KEV Intelligence

Vulnerability report

Exploited in the wild Confirmed confidence In CISA KEV

CVE-2008-0015

Windows

Microsoft / Windows

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Severity
CVSS 8.8 · High
Confidence
Confirmed
Exploit status
Exploited in the wild
EPSS
76.7%
First observed
—
Last observed
—

Decision summary

What security teams need to know first

Direct answers before the deeper technical record.

What it is

CVE-2008-0015 is an unauthenticated vulnerability affecting Microsoft Windows. Stack-based buffer overflow in the CComVariant::ReadFromStream function in the Active Template Library (ATL), as used in the...

Is it exploited?

Yes. KEV Intelligence tracks this CVE as a known exploited vulnerability. Confidence is confirmed.

Who is affected?

Microsoft / Windows.

What should we do?

Prioritize remediation. Validate affected assets and apply vendor fixes on an accelerated timeline.

Overview

Windows

Stack-based buffer overflow in the CComVariant::ReadFromStream function in the Active Template Library (ATL), as used in the MPEG2TuneRequest ActiveX control in msvidctl.dll in DirectShow, in Microsoft Windows 2000 SP4, XP SP2 and SP3, Server 2003 SP2, Vista Gold, SP1, and SP2, and Server 2008 Gold and SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted web page, as exploited in the wild in July 2009, aka "Microsoft Video ActiveX Control Vulnerability."

View vendor advisory (opens in new tab)
Published
07 Jul 2009
Exploitation Reported
07 Jul 2009
Attack vector
Remote
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required

Tags

metasploit cisa windows microsoft

CVE References

  • CVE Record CVE.org · CVE Record https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-0015
  • MS09-032 docs.microsoft.com · Vendor Advisory https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2...
  • MS09-037 docs.microsoft.com · Vendor Advisory https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2...
  • TA09-223A us-cert.gov · Third-Party Advisory http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-223A.html
  • 36187 secunia.com · Third-Party Advisory http://secunia.com/advisories/36187
  • TA09-187A us-cert.gov · Third-Party Advisory http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-187A.html
  • TA09-195A us-cert.gov · Third-Party Advisory http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-195A.html
  • 20090706 Multiple Microsoft Video Control ActiveX Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities iss.net · Third-Party Advisory http://www.iss.net/threats/329.html
  • VU#180513 kb.cert.org · Third-Party Advisory http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/180513
  • 35558 securityfocus.com · VDB Entry http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/35558
  • 55651 osvdb.org · VDB Entry http://osvdb.org/55651
  • oval:org.mitre.oval:def:6333 oval.cisecurity.org · VDB Entry https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.m...
  • 35585 securityfocus.com · VDB Entry http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/35585
  • oval:org.mitre.oval:def:7436 oval.cisecurity.org · VDB Entry https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.m...
  • ADV-2009-2232 vupen.com · VDB Entry http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/2232
  • 1022514 securitytracker.com · VDB Entry http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1022514
  • oval:org.mitre.oval:def:6363 oval.cisecurity.org · VDB Entry https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.m...
  • blogs.technet.com/srd/archive/2009/08/11/ms09-037-why-we-are-u... blogs.technet.com · CVE Record http://blogs.technet.com/srd/archive/2009/08/11/ms09-037-why-we-are-u...
  • csis.dk/dk/nyheder/nyheder.asp csis.dk · CVE Record http://www.csis.dk/dk/nyheder/nyheder.asp?tekstID=799
  • isc.sans.org/diary.html isc.sans.org · CVE Record http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=6733
  • microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/972890.mspx microsoft.com · CVE Record http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/advisory/972890.mspx

Exploitation evidence

Why KEV Intelligence marks this CVE as exploited

Third-party attestation and first-party sensor observation are shown separately so teams can judge the evidence chain.

Exploited in the wild

CVE

Recorded 07 Jul 2009

Independent exploitation attestation added to the KEV Intelligence record.

Proof of concept available

Recorded 28 Apr 2025

Public scanner or PoC coverage increases practical exploitability.

Known exploited vulnerability sources

Per-source evidence links for KEV attestations are available through the KEV Intelligence Pro API.

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Source Added
CVE First 2009-07-07 23:00 UTC
CISA 2026-06-02 14:03 UTC

Detection

Operational artifacts and observed signals

Make the evidence actionable in scanner, SOC, and edge-control workflows.

Observed signals

Request targets
0
User-Agents
0

Raw values available in Pro and Enterprise.

Virtual patch status

No KEV Intelligence virtual patch is currently available. Future rules ship for ModSecurity, Cloudflare, and AWS WAF.

Learn about virtual patches →

Scanner Artifacts

Scanner and exploit-framework references linked to this CVE.

Scanner Reference Detected
Metasploit https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/windows/browser/msvidctl_mpeg2.rb 28 Apr 2025

Risk and context

Severity, weaknesses, and research context

CVSS v3.1

8.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

76.7%

Weaknesses

Stack-based Buffer Overflow CWE-121

All CVSS Scores

CVSS v3.1 8.8 High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS v2.0 9.3 High

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Potential Proof of Concepts

These PoCs are unverified and could contain malware. Use at your own risk.

msvidctl_mpeg2

metasploit · Created Unknown

Metasploit module for CVE-2008-0015

Timeline

From disclosure to observed exploitation

  1. Added to CISA KEV

    Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

  2. Metasploit module available

    Exploit module available

  3. Public PoC available

    Public proof-of-concept code published

  4. Added to KEV Intelligence KEV Feed

    High-confidence, third-party attested exploitation

  5. CVE published

    Vulnerability disclosed publicly

  6. CVE ID reserved

    Identifier reserved by the CNA

Pro API

Automate this intelligence

Confidence, exploit status, sensor telemetry, PoCs, scanner integrations, mentions, and tags are available programmatically for VM, SOC, and CTI workflows.

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  • Evidence confidence and provenance
  • First-party sensor telemetry
  • PoC and scanner references
  • Affected versions and enrichment
  • Automation-ready JSON delivery

GET /api/v2/pro/kevs/CVE-2008-0015

Free JSON includes basic KEV fields 
{
  "cve_id": "CVE-2008-0015",
  "confidence": "Confirmed",
  "cvss_score": 8.8,
  "cvss_estimated": false,
  "epss_score": 0.76733,
  "exploit_status": {
    "exploited_in_the_wild": true,
    "active_exploitation_observed": false
  },
  "sensor_telemetry": { "attempts": 0, "sensors": 0 }
}

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