# CVE-2009-0029: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local attackers can exploit improper sign extension in 64-bit kernel registers to crash the system or escalate privileges on specific architectures.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Jan 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4cr9-h3gm-wcrx

## What is CVE-2009-0029?

CVE-2009-0029 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 15 Jan 2009. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The ABI in the Linux kernel 2.6.28 and earlier on s390, powerpc, sparc64, and mips 64-bit platforms requires that a 32-bit argument in a 64-bit register was properly sign extended when sent from a user-mode application, but cannot verify this, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly gain privileges via a crafted system call.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-0029?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-0029?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2009-0029 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-0029 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-0029 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-0029 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 15 Jan 2009. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-0029 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0029/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0029/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-0029
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-0029
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-0029

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0029/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.