# CVE-2009-4137: Deserialization in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code or upload files via unsafe deserialization of cookie data in Piwik.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Dec 2009
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-56c3-9h8h-r922

## What is CVE-2009-4137?

CVE-2009-4137 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in n/a, published on 24 Dec 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The loadContentFromCookie function in core/Cookie.php in Piwik before 0.5 does not validate strings obtained from cookies before calling the unserialize function, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or upload arbitrary files via vectors related to the __destruct function in the Piwik_Config class; php://filter URIs; the __destruct functions in Zend Framework, as demonstrated by the Zend_Log destructor; the shutdown functions in Zend Framework, as demonstrated by the Zend_Log_Writer_Mail class; the render function in the Piwik_View class; Smarty templates; and the _eval function in Smarty.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-4137?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Matomo Matomo.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-4137?

No fix has been published for CVE-2009-4137 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2009-4137 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-4137 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Exploit for piwik CVE-2009-4140 RCE (github_poc): https://github.com/Alexeyan/CVE-2009-4137

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2015-7815](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-7815/): Path traversal in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2015-7816](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-7816/): Deserialization in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2009-4140](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4140/): File upload in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2011-4941](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-4941/): Piwik (now Matomo) Vulnerable to Arbitrary Code Execution (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2010-2786](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2786/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 6.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-4137 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-4137 is a high-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in n/a, published on 24 Dec 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-4137 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2009-4137/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4137/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-4137
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-4137
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-4137

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4137/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.