CVE-2010-4251

Name: CVE-2010-4251
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2011-05-26T16:55:03.347+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.5/10EPSS 3.92%

Last modified Jun 16, 2026

CVE-2010-4251 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.5/10 on the CVSS scale. The socket implementation in net/core/sock.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.34 does not properly manage a backlog of received packets, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by sending a large amount of network traffic, as demonstrated by netperf UDP tests.. EPSS estimates a 3.92% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

The socket implementation in net/core/sock.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.34 does not properly manage a backlog of received packets, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by sending a large amount of network traffic, as demonstrated by netperf UDP tests.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

3.92%

89.0th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-400

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	< 2.6.34
Vmware	Esx	4.0
Vmware	Esx	4.1
Redhat	Enterprise Linux	4.0

References

http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=8eae939f1400326b06d0c9afe53d2a484a326871
http://kerneltrap.org/mailarchive/linux-netdev/2010/3/3/6271093/threadBroken Link
http://secunia.com/advisories/46397Broken Link
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.34Broken Link
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/520102/100/0/threadedThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/46637Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0012.htmlPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=657303Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=8eae939f1400326b06d0c9afe53d2a484a326871
http://kerneltrap.org/mailarchive/linux-netdev/2010/3/3/6271093/threadBroken Link
http://secunia.com/advisories/46397Broken Link
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.34Broken Link
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/520102/100/0/threadedThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/46637Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0012.htmlPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=657303Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: May 26, 2011
Last Modified: Jun 16, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2010-4251?

How severe is CVE-2010-4251?

CVE-2010-4251 has a CVSS score of 7.5/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 3.92% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2010-4251?

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-2010-4251?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST