High severity · published May 29, 2009
CVE-2009-1537
Microsoft DirectX NULL Byte Overwrite Vulnerability
In wildKEV
8.8
CVSS
51.4%
EPSS
Yes
On KEV
Description
Unspecified vulnerability in the QuickTime Movie Parser Filter in quartz.dll in DirectShow in Microsoft DirectX 7.0 through 9.0c on Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP2 and SP3, and Windows Server 2003 SP2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted QuickTime media file, as exploited in the wild in May 2009, aka "DirectX NULL Byte Overwrite Vulnerability."
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Scope
Unchanged
Exploitation
Is it being used?
Exploit prediction (EPSS)51.4% · higher than 99% of CVEs
Exploited in the wildYes
CISA KEVListed May 20, 2026
Federal remediation dueJun 3, 2026
Ransomware campaign useNot known
Affected products
Which versions
DI
Directx · Microsoft
7.0; 7.0a; 7.1; 8.1; 8.1b; 9.0; +7 more · source: NVD, KEV
W2
Windows 2000 · Microsoft
All versions, or not specified · source: NVD
W2
Windows 2003 Server · Microsoft
All versions, or not specified · source: NVD
WS
Windows Server 2003 · Microsoft
All versions, or not specified · source: NVD
WX
Windows XP · Microsoft
All versions, or not specified · source: NVD
In the news
AdvisoryHigh
CISA Adds Seven Known Exploited Vulnerabilities to Catalog
CISA has added seven new vulnerabilities to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog , based on evidence of active exploitation. CVE-2008-4250 Microsoft Windows Buffer Overflow Vulnerability CVE-2009-1537 Microsoft DirectX NULL Byte Overwrite Vulnerability CVE-2009-3459 Adobe Acrobat and Reader Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability CVE-2010-0249 Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free Vulnerability CVE-2010-0806 Microsoft Internet Explorer Use-After-Free Vulnerability CVE-2026-41091 Microsoft Defender Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability CVE-2026-45498 Microsoft Defender Denial of Service Vulnerability These types of vulnerabilities are frequent attack vectors for malicious cyber actors and pose significant risks to the federal enterprise. Binding Operational Directive (BOD) 22-01: Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities established the KEV Catalog as a living list of known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) that carry significant risk to the federal enterprise. BOD 22-01 requires Federal Civilian Executive Branch (FCEB) agencies to remediate identified vulnerabilities by the due date to protect FCEB networks against active threats. See the BOD 22-01 Fact Sheet for more information. Although BOD 22-01 only applies to FCEB agencies, CISA strongly urges all organizations to reduce their exposure to cyberattacks by prioritizing timely remediation of KEV Catalog vulnerabilities as part o...
May 20, 2026·CISA Advisories
VulnerabilityHigh
[CISA KEV] CVE-2009-1537: Microsoft DirectX - Microsoft DirectX NULL Byte Overwrite Vulnerability
Microsoft DirectX contains a NULL byte overwrite vulnerability in the QuickTime Movie Parser Filter in quartz.dll in DirectShow which could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted QuickTime media file.
DIDirectXCVE-2009-1537
May 20, 2026·CISA KEV
Affected product
DI
Directx
Microsoft
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