dbcve.org
VisioApplication · Microsoft

CVE-2009-0095

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2009-02-10
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Microsoft Office Visio 2002 SP2, 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP1 does not properly validate object data in Visio files, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted file, aka "Memory Validation Vulnerability."

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

A memory validation vulnerability in Microsoft Office Visio (versions 2002 SP2, 2003 SP3, and 2007 SP1) allows arbitrary code execution through crafted Visio files due to improper validation of object data during file parsing.

MitigationApply the relevant Microsoft security update (MS09-005) to all affected Visio installations, or upgrade to a supported Visio version. Implement file type restrictions and user training to avoid opening untrusted Visio files.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
VisioApplication
Affected:= 2002= 2003= 2007

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
M
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

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

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check installed Visio version
    Open Visio, go to Help menu, select About Microsoft Office Visio. Alternatively, check Add/Remove Programs (Windows) or the program files version info. On Windows, you can also run: reg query 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Visio' /v Version
    Affected if The version displayed is 2002 (any SP), 2003 (any SP), or 2007 (any SP)
  2. Confirm Visio installation exists
    Verify that Microsoft Visio is installed on the system by checking Program Files\Microsoft Office\Visio for Visio.exe, or via Add/Remove Programs
    Affected if Visio 2002, 2003, or 2007 is installed on the system
  3. Identify if users handle untrusted Visio files
    Review email gateway attachments, file share permissions, or endpoint monitoring for .vsd or .vdx file downloads from external sources. Check if organizational workflows involve opening Visio diagrams from outside the organization
    Affected if Users routinely open Visio files received from external or untrusted sources, or file type restrictions are not enforced
  4. Verify current patch level
    Check Windows Update history or the installed updates list for security update MS09-005, which addresses this vulnerability
    Affected if MS09-005 is NOT installed AND the installed Visio version is 2002, 2003, or 2007

A system is affected if Visio version 2002, 2003, or 2007 is installed AND MS09-005 has not been applied, and users may open untrusted Visio files.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the relevant Microsoft security update (MS09-005) to all affected Visio installations, or upgrade to a supported Visio version. Implement file type restrictions and user training to avoid opening untrusted Visio files.

Recommended fix High confidence

Upgrade to Visio 2010 or later (e.g., Visio 2019/Microsoft 365 Visio) as Visio 2002/2003/2007 are past extended support

  1. 1. Identify the current Visio version installed (2002, 2003, or 2007) from Add/Remove Programs or the application's About section
  2. 2. For Visio 2007: Apply Microsoft Security Update MS09-005 (KB957630) from windowsupdate.microsoft.com
  3. 3. For Visio 2003: Apply Microsoft Security Update MS09-005 (KB957630) from windowsupdate.microsoft.com
  4. 4. For Visio 2002: Microsoft had ended support; upgrade to a supported Visio version
  5. 5. After patching, restart Visio and verify the update was applied successfully
  6. 6. If unable to patch, implement workarounds: disable Visio file associations, block .vsd files at email gateway/proxy, and warn users not to open unsolicited Visio attachments
Caveat Upgrading from Visio 2007 to newer versions may require file format conversion; legacy VBA macros may need updating; verify compatibility with dependent applications

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Visio Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
10.0 hours of engineering $1,750
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2009-0095 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data