CVE-2009-4004

Name: CVE-2009-4004
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2009-11-20T02:30:00.67+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.8/10EPSS 0.41%

Last modified Jun 16, 2026

CVE-2009-4004 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.8/10 on the CVSS scale. Buffer overflow in the kvm_vcpu_ioctl_x86_setup_mce function in arch/x86/kvm/x86.c in the KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel before 2.6.32-rc7 allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly gain privileges via a KVM_X86_SETUP_MCE IOCTL request that specifies a large number of Machine Check Exception (MCE) banks.. EPSS estimates a 0.41% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

Buffer overflow in the kvm_vcpu_ioctl_x86_setup_mce function in arch/x86/kvm/x86.c in the KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel before 2.6.32-rc7 allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly gain privileges via a KVM_X86_SETUP_MCE IOCTL request that specifies a large number of Machine Check Exception (MCE) banks.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.41%

32.5th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-119

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	<= 2.6.31.14
Linux	Linux Kernel	2.6.32

References

http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=a9e38c3e01ad242fe2a625354cf065c34b01e3aa
http://secunia.com/advisories/37357Broken Link, Vendor Advisory
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/testing/ChangeLog-2.6.32-rc7Broken Link
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/37035Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/3267Broken Link
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/54302Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=a9e38c3e01ad242fe2a625354cf065c34b01e3aa
http://secunia.com/advisories/37357Broken Link, Vendor Advisory
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/testing/ChangeLog-2.6.32-rc7Broken Link
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/37035Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/3267Broken Link
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/54302Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry

Timeline

Published: Nov 20, 2009
Last Modified: Jun 16, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2009-4004?

How severe is CVE-2009-4004?

CVE-2009-4004 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.41% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2009-4004?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2009-4004?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST