Cisco VPN Client up to 5.0.06.0100 cvpnd Service denial of service

CVSS Meta Temp Score
CVSS is a standardized scoring system to determine possibilities of attacks. The Temp Score considers temporal factors like disclosure, exploit and countermeasures. The unique Meta Score calculates the average score of different sources to provide a normalized scoring system.
Current Exploit Price (≈)
Our analysts are monitoring exploit markets and are in contact with vulnerability brokers. The range indicates the observed or calculated exploit price to be seen on exploit markets. A good indicator to understand the monetary effort required for and the popularity of an attack.
CTI Interest Score
Our Cyber Threat Intelligence team is monitoring different web sites, mailing lists, exploit markets and social media networks. The CTI Interest Score identifies the interest of attackers and the security community for this specific vulnerability in real-time. A high score indicates an elevated risk to be targeted for this vulnerability.
5.3$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability was found in Cisco VPN Client up to 5.0.06.0100 and classified as problematic. Impacted is an unknown function of the component cvpnd Service. Such manipulation leads to denial of service. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2009-4118. Furthermore, there is an exploit available. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Cisco VPN Client up to 5.0.06.0100 (Network Encryption Software) and classified as problematic. Affected by this issue is an unknown code of the component cvpnd Service. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a denial of service vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-404. The product does not release or incorrectly releases a resource before it is made available for re-use. Impacted is availability. CVE summarizes:

The StartServiceCtrlDispatcher function in the cvpnd service (cvpnd.exe) in Cisco VPN client for Windows before 5.0.06.0100 does not properly handle an ERROR_FAILED_SERVICE_CONTROLLER_CONNECT error, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (service crash and VPN connection loss) via a manual start of cvpnd.exe while the cvpnd service is running.

The bug was discovered 03/06/2009. The weakness was shared 11/20/2009 by Alex Hernandez as 19445 as confirmed vulnerability alert (Website). The advisory is shared for download at tools.cisco.com. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2009-4118 since 11/30/2009. The attack may be launched remotely. No form of authentication is required for exploitation. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available.

A public exploit has been developed in ANSI C and been published even before and not after the advisory. The exploit is available at securityfocus.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 258 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 42960 (Cisco VPN Client on Windows Service Control Manager DoS), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Windows and running in the context l.

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability. Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at tools.cisco.com. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version. A possible mitigation has been published even before and not after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (54359), Tenable (42960), SecurityFocus (BID 37077†), OSVDB (60416†) and Secunia (SA37419†). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Productinfo

Type

Vendor

Name

Version

License

Website

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 5.9
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.3

VulDB Base Score: 5.9
VulDB Temp Score: 5.3
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

AVACAuCIA
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
💳💳💳💳💳💳
VectorComplexityAuthenticationConfidentialityIntegrityAvailability
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
UnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Denial of service
CWE: CWE-404
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Programming Language: 🔍
Download: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

0-DayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock
TodayUnlockUnlockUnlockUnlock

Nessus ID: 42960
Nessus Name: Cisco VPN Client on Windows Service Control Manager DoS
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 100357
OpenVAS Name: Cisco VPN Client for Windows StartServiceCtrlDispatche Local Denial of Service Vulnerability
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Patch: tools.cisco.com

Timelineinfo

03/06/2009 🔍
11/19/2009 +258 days 🔍
11/19/2009 +0 days 🔍
11/19/2009 +0 days 🔍
11/19/2009 +0 days 🔍
11/20/2009 +1 days 🔍
11/20/2009 +0 days 🔍
11/30/2009 +9 days 🔍
11/30/2009 +0 days 🔍
12/01/2009 +1 days 🔍
12/07/2009 +6 days 🔍
12/16/2009 +9 days 🔍
09/28/2025 +5765 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: cisco.com

Advisory: 19445
Researcher: Alex Hernandez
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2009-4118 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2009-4118
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-4064
X-Force: 54359
SecurityFocus: 37077 - Cisco VPN Client for Windows 'StartServiceCtrlDispatche' Local Denial of Service Vulnerability
Secunia: 37419 - Cisco VPN Client "cvpnd" Service Local Denial of Service, Not Critical
OSVDB: 60416 - Cisco VPN Client Service Control Manager (cvpnd.exe) Service StartServiceCtrlDispatcher Function Local DoS
Vulnerability Center: 24285 - Cisco VPN Client for Windows\x3C5.0.06.0100 StartServiceCtrlDispatcher Function Local DoS Vulnerability, Low
Vupen: ADV-2009-3296

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013

Entryinfo

Created: 12/16/2009 10:51
Updated: 09/28/2025 05:10
Changes: 12/16/2009 10:51 (85), 02/17/2017 12:31 (11), 03/17/2021 16:23 (4), 09/28/2025 05:10 (14)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Discussion

No comments yet. Languages: en.

Please log in to comment.

◂ PreviousOverviewNext ▸

Interested in the pricing of exploits?

See the underground prices here!