Description
AOL Desktop 9.6 contains a buffer overflow vulnerability in its Tool\rich.rct component when parsing .rtx files. By embedding an overly long string in a hyperlink tag, an attacker can trigger a stack-based buffer overflow due to the use of unsafe strcpy operations. This allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code when a victim opens a malicious .rtx file. AOL Desktop is end-of-life and no longer supported. Users are encouraged to migrate to AOL Desktop Gold or alternative platforms.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| AOL | AOL Desktop | ≤ 9.6 | — |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Metasploit 1 module
-
AOL Desktop 9.6 RTX Buffer Overflow
exploit/windows/fileformat/aol_desktop_linktag
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
References
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/master/modules/exploits/windows/fileformat/aol_desktop_linktag.rb exploit
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16085 exploit
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/16107 exploit
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/17150 exploit
- https://www.fortiguard.com/encyclopedia/ips/26516 third-party-advisory
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/aol-desktop-rtx-stack-based-buffer-overflow third-party-advisory