# CVE-2009-4500: Null dereference in n/a

> Remote attackers can crash Zabbix Server by sending a crafted request lacking a colon separator, causing a NULL pointer dereference.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 31 Dec 2009
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2009-4500, GHSA-8jg5-4gwh-7gh9

## What is CVE-2009-4500?

CVE-2009-4500 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Zabbix Zabbix, published on 31 Dec 2009. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The process_trap function in trapper/trapper.c in Zabbix Server before 1.6.6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted request with data that lacks an expected : (colon) separator, which triggers a NULL pointer dereference.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-4500?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Zabbix Zabbix.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-4500?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2009-4500 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-4500 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Zabbix Zabbix

- [CVE-2022-23131](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23131/): Zabbix Frontend Authentication Bypass (critical 9.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2007-0640](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-0640/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-42327](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-42327/): SQL injection in user.get API (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2024-22116](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22116/): Remote code execution within ping script (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2013-3738](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-3738/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-4500 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-4500 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Zabbix Zabbix, published on 31 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-2009-4500 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Zabbix Zabbix. 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-2009-4500/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4500/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-4500
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-4500
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-4500

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4500/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.