# CVE-2009-2692: Null dereference in n/a

> Local attackers can exploit uninitialized socket function pointers to trigger a null dereference and gain root privileges via memory mapping.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 14 Aug 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** CVE-2009-2962, DSA-1862-1, DSA-1864-1, GHSA-j86m-g62r-5g7r

## What is CVE-2009-2692?

CVE-2009-2692 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 14 Aug 2009. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Linux kernel 2.6.0 through 2.6.30.4, and 2.4.4 through 2.4.37.4, does not initialize all function pointers for socket operations in proto_ops structures, which allows local users to trigger a NULL pointer dereference and gain privileges by using mmap to map page zero, placing arbitrary code on this page, and then invoking an unavailable operation, as demonstrated by the sendpage operation (sock_sendpage function) on a PF_PPPOX socket.

Weakness: CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-2692?

It affects 8 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation, Suse Linux Enterprise Real Time.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-2692?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2009-2692 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2009-2692 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Linux Kernel Sendpage Local Privilege Escalation (metasploit)
- Linux Kernel 2.x (RedHat) - 'sock_sendpage()' Ring0 Privilege Escalation (1) (exploitdb)
- Linux Kernel 2.x - 'sock_sendpage()' Local Privilege Escalation (4) (exploitdb)
- Linux Kernel 2.x (Android) - 'sock_sendpage()' Local Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)
- Linux Kernel 2.4/2.6 (RedHat Linux 9 / Fedora Core 4 < 11 / Whitebox 4 / CentOS 4) - 'sock_sendpage()' Ring0 Privilege Escalation (5) (exploitdb)
- Linux Kernel 2.4.x/2.6.x (CentOS 4.8/5.3 / RHEL 4.8/5.3 / SuSE 10 SP2/11 / Ubuntu 8.10) (PPC) - 'sock_sendpage()' Local Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## 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-2009-2692 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-2692 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 14 Aug 2009. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2009-2692 exists.

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-2009-2692/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-2692/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-2692
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-2692
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-2692

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-2692/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.