CRITICAL
CVE-2009-4538
NVD-CWE-noinfoPublished: January 12, 2010· Updated: Jun 16, 2026
10.0
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
drivers/net/e1000e/netdev.c in the e1000e 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 have an unspecified impact via crafted packets, a related issue to CVE-2009-4537.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2009-4538 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.
User Interaction
Scope
Impact
ConfidentialityC
IntegrityC
AvailabilityC
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (60)
→
http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2010-February/035159.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-01/msg00005.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-01/msg00008.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-02/msg00002.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-02/msg00005.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-03/msg00000.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
http://secunia.com/advisories/38031Third Party Advisory
→
http://secunia.com/advisories/38276Third Party Advisory
→
http://secunia.com/advisories/38296Third Party Advisory
→
http://secunia.com/advisories/38492Third Party Advisory
→
http://secunia.com/advisories/38610Third Party Advisory
→
http://secunia.com/advisories/38779Third Party Advisory
→
http://securitytracker.com/id?1023420Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
http://www.debian.org/security/2010/dsa-1996Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.debian.org/security/2010/dsa-2005Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2009-4538
CVSS Score10.0 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
WeaknessNVD-CWE-noinfo
CISA KEVNo
Affected2 vendor(s)
PublishedJan 12, 2010
Related CVEs (NVD-CWE-noinfo)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2009-4538 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.