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Vulnerability record · CVE-2009-0778 · published 12 March 2009

CVE-2009-0778: Linux kernel vulnerability

Linux · Linux Kernel

The icmp_send function in net/ipv4/icmp.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.25, when configured as a router with a REJECT route, does not properly manage the Protocol Independent Destination Cache (aka DST) in some situations involving transmission of an ICMP Host Unreachable message, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (connectivity outage) by sending a large series of packets to many destination IP addresses within this REJECT route, related to an "rt_cache leak."

7.1 CVSS 2.0 High EPSS 4.6% · top 8.6%
7.1CVSS 2.0 base score
4.6%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
6Affected product versions listed by NVD
30References, 2 tagged exploit
16 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

The icmp_send function in net/ipv4/icmp.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.25, when configured as a router with a REJECT route, does not properly manage the Protocol Independent Destination Cache (aka DST) in some situations involving transmission of an ICMP Host Unreachable message, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (connectivity outage) by sending a large series of packets to many destination IP addresses within this REJECT route, related to an "rt_cache leak."

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C

Affected products

6 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=7c0ecc4c4f8fd90988aab8a95297b9c0038b6160
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/03/11/2 Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33758 Broken Link
http://secunia.com/advisories/37471 Broken Link
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.25 Broken Link
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2009-0326.html Broken Link
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/507985/100/0/threaded Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/34084 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1021958 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2009-0016.html Third Party Advisory
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/3316 Broken Link
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=485163 ExploitIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/49199 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A10215 Third Party Advisory
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A7867 Third Party Advisory
http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=7c0ecc4c4f8fd90988aab8a95297b9c0038b6160
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/03/11/2 Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/33758 Broken Link
http://secunia.com/advisories/37471 Broken Link
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.25 Broken Link
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2009-0326.html Broken Link
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/507985/100/0/threaded Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/34084 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1021958 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2009-0016.html Third Party Advisory
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/3316 Broken Link
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=485163 ExploitIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/49199 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A10215 Third Party Advisory
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A7867 Third Party Advisory

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2009-0778), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-29). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.