HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2009-3616
CRITICAL

CVE-2009-3616

CWE-416Published: October 23, 2009· Updated: Jun 16, 2026

9.9
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Multiple use-after-free vulnerabilities in vnc.c in the VNC server in QEMU 0.10.6 and earlier might allow guest OS users to execute arbitrary code on the host OS by establishing a connection from a VNC client and then (1) disconnecting during data transfer, (2) sending a message using incorrect integer data types, or (3) using the Fuzzy Screen Mode protocol, related to double free vulnerabilities.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2009-3616 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.9.

The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-416): Use-after-free vulnerabilities involve accessing memory after it has been freed, often enabling arbitrary code execution.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeChanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

qemu1 product(s)
qemu
Red Hat2 product(s)
enterprise linux serverenterprise linux workstation
Source: NVD CPE · 3 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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Official Patches & Advisories

All References (20)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2009-3616
CVSS Score9.9 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
WeaknessCWE-416
CISA KEVNo
Affected2 vendor(s)
PublishedOct 23, 2009

Related CVEs (CWE-416)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2009-3616 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.