CVE-2009-4004: Buffer overflow in the kvm_vcpu_ioctl_x86_setup_mce function in arch/x86/kvm/x86.c in the KVM subsystem in...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This is an old Linux kernel KVM flaw. A local user on an affected host could crash the system through memory corruption and might be able to gain higher privileges. It matters mainly for legacy virtualization hosts running KVM on kernels before the upstream fix in 2.6.32-rc7 or equivalent vendor backports. Exposure is most likely on legacy Linux KVM hosts or appliances using kernels older than 2.6.32-rc7 without a vendor backport. Modern supported distributions are unlikely to be affected, but old embedded, lab, or unmaintained virtualization systems should be checked. Prioritize if the organization still runs legacy KVM virtualization hosts. For current supported Linux platforms, urgency is lower but verification is worthwhile. The business risk is disruption of virtualization hosts and potential local privilege escalation on affected systems. Mitigation focus: Upgrade to a vendor-supported kernel containing the upstream KVM fix.; Retire or isolate unsupported Linux KVM hosts using pre-2.6.32-rc7 kernels.; Restrict local user and service access to KVM devices where operationally possible..

Prepared

Jun 28, 2026, 16:21 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.