AOL versions up to and including 9.5 includes an ActiveX control (Phobos.dll) that exposes a method called Import() via the Phobos.Playlist COM object. This method is vulnerable to a stack-based buffer overflow when provided with an excessively long string argument. Exploitation allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of the user, but only when the malicious HTML file is opened locally, due to the control not being marked safe for scripting or initialization. AOL remains an active and supported brand offering services like AOL Mail and AOL Desktop Gold, but the legacy AOL 9.5 desktop software—specifically the version containing the vulnerable Phobos.dll ActiveX control—is long discontinued and no longer maintained.
History

Sat, 23 Aug 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Aol
Aol aol
Vendors & Products Aol
Aol aol

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'poc', 'Technical Impact': 'total'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}


Thu, 21 Aug 2025 20:15:00 +0000

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description AOL versions up to and including 9.5 includes an ActiveX control (Phobos.dll) that exposes a method called Import() via the Phobos.Playlist COM object. This method is vulnerable to a stack-based buffer overflow when provided with an excessively long string argument. Exploitation allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code in the context of the user, but only when the malicious HTML file is opened locally, due to the control not being marked safe for scripting or initialization. AOL remains an active and supported brand offering services like AOL Mail and AOL Desktop Gold, but the legacy AOL 9.5 desktop software—specifically the version containing the vulnerable Phobos.dll ActiveX control—is long discontinued and no longer maintained.
Title AOL <= 9.5 Phobos.Playlist 'Import()' Stack-Based Buffer Overflow
Weaknesses CWE-121
References
Metrics cvssV4_0

{'score': 8.4, 'vector': 'CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N'}


cve-icon MITRE

Status: PUBLISHED

Assigner: VulnCheck

Published:

Updated: 2025-08-22T15:35:06.053Z

Reserved: 2025-08-21T16:26:04.002Z

Link: CVE-2010-10015

cve-icon Vulnrichment

Updated: 2025-08-22T15:34:54.186Z

cve-icon NVD

Status : Awaiting Analysis

Published: 2025-08-21T20:15:30.633

Modified: 2025-08-22T18:08:51.663

Link: CVE-2010-10015

cve-icon Redhat

No data.

cve-icon OpenCVE Enrichment

Updated: 2025-08-23T10:55:36Z