{"id":"CVE-2009-3129","published":"2009-11-11T19:30:00Z","modified":"2026-06-16T23:11:00Z","title":"Microsoft Excel Featheader Record Memory Corruption Vulnerability","vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Excel","tier":"core","eol":null,"description":{"text":"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.\"","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"summary":{"text":"Microsoft Excel's handling of FEATHEADER records contains a memory corruption flaw affecting Excel 2002, 2003, 2007 (SP1 and SP2), the Mac versions of Office 2004 and 2008, and several related converters, viewers and compatibility packs. An attacker can execute arbitrary code by supplying a crafted spreadsheet whose FEATHEADER record has an invalid cbHdrData size that corrupts a pointer offset, and the victim must open the file, requiring user interaction.","provenance":"ai","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","generatedAt":"2026-10-29T08:31:50Z"},"cvss":{"score":7.8,"severity":"HIGH","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"epss":{"score":0.84034,"percentile":0.99691,"date":"2026-10-28","provenance":"source"},"kev":{"dateAdded":"2022-03-03","dueDate":"2022-03-24","ransomware":false,"requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","notes":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-3129","provenance":"source"},"vulncheckKev":{"dateAdded":"2012-01-01","exploitedFirstSeen":"2012-01-01","ransomware":false,"evidence":[{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20120907091804/http://www.trendmicro.com/cloud-content/us/pdfs/security-intelligence/white-papers/wp_the_taidoor_campaign.pdf","date":"2012-01-01"},{"url":"https://www.trendmicro.de/cloud-content/us/pdfs/security-intelligence/white-papers/wp_ixeshe.pdf","date":"2012-01-01"},{"url":"https://securelist.com/red-october-diplomatic-cyber-attacks-investigation/36740/","date":"2013-01-14"},{"url":"https://securelist.com/the-epic-turla-operation/65545/","date":"2014-08-07"},{"url":"https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/scarlet-mimic-years-long-espionage-targets-minority-activists/","date":"2016-01-24"},{"url":"https://cisa.gov/news-events/alerts/2015/04/29/top-30-targeted-high-risk-vulnerabilities","date":"2016-09-29"},{"url":"https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA15-119A","date":"2016-09-29"},{"url":"https://us-cert.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/AR-17-20045_Enhanced_Analysis_of_GRIZZLY_STEPPE_Activity.pdf","date":"2017-02-10"},{"url":"https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3465481.3465758","date":"2021-08-17"},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json","date":"2022-03-03"}],"evidenceTotal":10,"provenance":"source"},"exploited":true,"otx":{"pulseCount":50,"pulses":[{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae20c1db17e7057ae7d9ad1","created":"2026-10-28"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae0ba7e0e2a97ff7b218819","created":"2026-10-27"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adf68b85c3e852f3c111d18","created":"2026-10-26"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adb740e397c3ad4799aa4cd","created":"2026-10-23"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ada236fcfba2dfa730ea482","created":"2026-10-22"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad8d33a077cbb5cab524d80","created":"2026-10-21"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 21, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad78130c4d1ac2be83a8b6d","created":"2026-10-20"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 20, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad62f63c24a405a3423cc13","created":"2026-10-19"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 19, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad4dda174e5797d0bd238b7","created":"2026-10-18"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 18, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad38c22e1848f8189d1c121","created":"2026-10-17"}],"provenance":"machine"},"cwes":[{"id":"CWE-787","name":"Out-of-bounds Write"},{"id":"CWE-94","name":"Improper Control of Generation of Code"}],"references":[{"url":"http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/bugtraq/2009-11/0080.html","tags":["Broken Link"]},{"url":"http://labs.idefense.com/intelligence/vulnerabilities/display.php?id=832","tags":["Broken Link"]},{"url":"http://osvdb.org/59860","tags":["Broken Link"]},{"url":"http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/14706","tags":["Exploit","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/36945","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1023157","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-314A.html","tags":["Third Party Advisory","US Government Resource"]},{"url":"http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-09-083","tags":["Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2009/ms09-067","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A6521","tags":["Broken Link"]},{"url":"http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/bugtraq/2009-11/0080.html","tags":["Broken Link"]},{"url":"http://labs.idefense.com/intelligence/vulnerabilities/display.php?id=832","tags":["Broken Link"]},{"url":"http://osvdb.org/59860","tags":["Broken Link"]},{"url":"http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/14706","tags":["Exploit","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/36945","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1023157","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA09-314A.html","tags":["Third Party Advisory","US Government Resource"]},{"url":"http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-09-083","tags":["Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2009/ms09-067","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A6521","tags":["Broken Link"]},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2009-3129","tags":["US Government Resource"]}],"techniques":[{"id":"T1203","name":"Exploitation for Client Execution","tactics":["execution"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-cve","bases":["ctid-cve"],"basisDetail":"CTID attack_to_cve (Phase 1)","mappingType":"uncategorized","evidence":[],"confidence":"low","confidenceNote":"CTID attack_to_cve Phase 1 \"Uncategorized\" mapping (not staged by impact)"},{"id":"T1204.002","name":"Malicious File","tactics":["execution"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-cve","bases":["ctid-cve","ai-mapping"],"basisDetail":"CTID attack_to_cve (Phase 1); claude-haiku-5-5: User opens malicious spreadsheet file","mappingType":"uncategorized","evidence":[{"from":"description","quote":"via a spreadsheet with a FEATHEADER record","start":340,"end":382}],"confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"AI-mapped from the description (quote-validated, not expert-reviewed)"},{"id":"T1059","name":"Command and Scripting Interpreter","tactics":["execution"],"provenance":"ai","basis":"ai-mapping","bases":["ai-mapping"],"basisDetail":"claude-haiku-5-5: Arbitrary code execution from memory corruption","mappingType":"primary_impact","evidence":[{"from":"description","quote":"allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code","start":290,"end":339}],"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"AI-mapped from the description (quote-validated, not expert-reviewed)"}],"reports":[{"id":"SRC-62aa640e098a9c9dc263","title":"Scarlet Mimic: Years-Long Espionage Campaign Targets Minority Activists","publisher":"unit42.paloaltonetworks.com","url":"https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/scarlet-mimic-years-long-espionage-targets-minority-activists/","date":"2016-01-24","mentions":[{"quote":"- CVE-2009-3129","start":9015,"end":9030}]}],"affected":[],"advisories":[],"euvd":{"id":"EUVD-2009-3112","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2009-3112","exploited":true,"exploitedSince":"2022-03-03","provenance":"source"},"exploits":[{"id":14706,"url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/14706","title":"Microsoft Excel - FEATHEADER Record (MS09-067)","type":"local","platform":"windows","date":"2010-08-21","verified":false,"provenance":"source"},{"id":16625,"url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16625","title":"Microsoft Excel - Malformed FEATHEADER Record (MS09-067) (Metasploit)","type":"local","platform":"windows","date":"2010-09-25","verified":true,"provenance":"source"}],"exploitSources":{"exploitdb":{"count":2,"earliest":"2010-08-21"},"metasploit":[{"name":"MS09-067 Microsoft Excel Malformed FEATHEADER Record Vulnerability","module":"exploit/windows/fileformat/ms09_067_excel_featheader","type":"exploit","disclosureDate":"2009-11-10","url":"https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/windows/fileformat/ms09_067_excel_featheader.rb"}],"first":{"date":"2009-11-10","source":"Metasploit","url":"https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/windows/fileformat/ms09_067_excel_featheader.rb"},"provenance":"source"},"exploitRefs":["http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/14706"],"flow":[{"stage":"primary","techniques":["T1059"],"provenance":"ai"},{"stage":"related","techniques":["T1204.002"],"provenance":"source"},{"stage":"related","techniques":["T1203"],"provenance":"source","lowConfidence":true}],"timeline":[{"date":"2009-11-10","kind":"exploit-public","label":"First public exploit: Metasploit; later: Exploit-DB 2010-08-21","url":"https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/windows/fileformat/ms09_067_excel_featheader.rb","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2009-11-11","kind":"published","label":"Published (NVD)","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-3129","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2012-01-01","kind":"exploited-reported","label":"Exploitation first reported (VulnCheck KEV evidence)","url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20120907091804/http://www.trendmicro.com/cloud-content/us/pdfs/security-intelligence/white-papers/wp_the_taidoor_campaign.pdf","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2016-01-24","kind":"report","label":"Named in unit42.paloaltonetworks.com: Scarlet Mimic: Years-Long Espionage Campaign Targets Minority Activists","url":"https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/scarlet-mimic-years-long-espionage-targets-minority-activists/","provenance":"machine"},{"date":"2022-03-03","kind":"kev","label":"Added to CISA KEV","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2022-03-03","kind":"euvd-exploited","label":"ENISA EUVD: exploited","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2009-3112","provenance":"source"}],"speed":{"daysToPublicExploit":null,"firstExploitFrom":"Metasploit","daysToKev":4495},"priority":{"score":72.3,"factors":[{"name":"In a KEV catalog","points":35.0,"detail":"listed in CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV"},{"name":"Recent KEV listing","points":0.0,"detail":"added 5415 days ago"},{"name":"Known ransomware use","points":0.0,"detail":"not known"},{"name":"EPSS percentile","points":19.94,"detail":"percentile 0.9969"},{"name":"Named in threat reports","points":3.87,"detail":"1 report"},{"name":"Public exploit code","points":5.0,"detail":"1 NVD reference tagged Exploit; 2 Exploit-DB entries; 1 Metasploit module"},{"name":"Mentioned in OTX pulses","points":3.0,"detail":"50 pulses"},{"name":"CVSS severity","points":5.46,"detail":"base score 7.8"},{"name":"End-of-life product","points":0.0,"detail":"supported or unknown"}]}}