CVE-2009-4537

High

drivers/net/r8169.c in the r8169 driver in the Linux kernel 2.6.32.3 and earlier does not properly check the size of an Ethernet frame that exceeds the MTU, which allows remote attackers to (1) cause a denial of service (temporary network outage) via a packet with a crafted size, in conjunction with certain packets containing A characters and certain packets containing E characters; or (2) cause a denial of service (system crash) via a packet with a crafted size, in conjunction with certain packets containing '\0' characters, related to the value of the status register and erroneous behavior associated with the RxMaxSize register. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incorrect fix for CVE-2009-1389.

Package Linux Kernel
Published 2010-01-12
Last modified 2026-04-23
CVSS version 2.0
Patch available
Awaiting data

CVSS 2.0 score

7.8

out of 10
High
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
User Interaction
Scope
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
Vector string
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C

Weakness type

CWE-20

CVE-2009-4537 is a Improper Input Validation vulnerability

What is Improper Input Validation?

The product receives input but does not validate it correctly, allowing attackers to craft inputs that cause unexpected behavior. Learn more on MITRE CWE

References

The following references provide additional information about CVE-2009-4537 including vendor advisories, patch commits, exploit details, and third-party analysis. Links are sourced from the NIST NVD database.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is CVE-2009-4537?

    CVE-2009-4537 is a High severity Linux kernel vulnerability with a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10 , classified as an Improper Input Validation flaw (CWE-20) . CVE-2009-4537 has not been confirmed as actively exploited and is not listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

  • What is the CVSS score for CVE-2009-4537?

    CVE-2009-4537 has a CVSS score of 7.8 out of 10, rated High severity (CVSS 2.0). The vector string is AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C .

  • Is there a patch available for CVE-2009-4537?

    No patch is currently available for CVE-2009-4537. Monitor the NIST NVD and your Linux distribution's security advisories for updates.

  • Is CVE-2009-4537 actively exploited?

    No — CVE-2009-4537 has not been confirmed as actively exploited. It is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

  • What is Improper Input Validation (CWE-20)?

    The product receives input but does not validate it correctly, allowing attackers to craft inputs that cause unexpected behavior. View CWE-20 on MITRE CWE →

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