CVE-2009-1389 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the RTL8169 NIC driver (drivers/net/r8169.c) in the Linux kernel before 2.6.30 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (kernel memory corruption and crash) via a long packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-1389 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Realtek RTL8169 Network Interface Controller driver implementation in the Linux kernel. This issue affects kernel versions prior to 2.6.30 and demonstrates a classic software vulnerability that can be exploited remotely to compromise system stability. The affected driver component resides in the drivers/net/r8169.c file, which handles network packet processing for Realtek RTL8169 chipset devices. The buffer overflow occurs during the handling of incoming network packets, specifically when processing packets that exceed normal size limits.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the packet processing routine of the RTL8169 driver. When a remote attacker sends a specially crafted packet that exceeds the expected buffer size, the driver fails to properly bounds-check the incoming data before copying it into kernel memory buffers. This flaw falls under the CWE-121 category of buffer overflow conditions, specifically representing a stack-based buffer overflow that can lead to memory corruption. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the kernel level, meaning that successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise or denial of service conditions that crash the entire kernel.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for networked systems that utilize Realtek RTL8169 network adapters. Attackers can leverage this flaw by sending maliciously constructed network packets to any system running an affected kernel version, making the attack surface extremely broad. The impact includes immediate denial of service conditions where the kernel crashes and reboots, disrupting network connectivity and potentially causing data loss. In more sophisticated attack scenarios, this vulnerability could potentially be chained with other exploits to achieve privilege escalation or remote code execution, though the direct exploitation primarily results in system instability.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-1389 primarily focus on kernel version updates, which represents the most effective solution. System administrators should immediately upgrade to Linux kernel version 2.6.30 or later where this vulnerability has been patched. The patch implemented by the kernel developers typically involves adding proper bounds checking and input validation before buffer operations, preventing the overflow condition from occurring. Additionally, network administrators can implement temporary mitigations such as packet filtering rules that limit the size of incoming packets or disable the affected network interface when not actively needed. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions can also help detect and respond to exploitation attempts, though these measures provide only partial protection compared to the definitive fix of kernel updates. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining current kernel versions and implementing robust security practices for network infrastructure components, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers exploit for privilege escalation and T1499 which addresses network denial of service attacks.