CVE-2009-2404

Heap-based buffer overflow in a regular-expression parser in Mozilla Network Security Services (NSS) before 3.12.3, as used in Firefox, Thunderbird, SeaMonkey, Evolution, Pidgin, and AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), allows remote SSL servers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a long domain name in the subject's Common Name (CN) field of an X.509 certificate, related to the cert_TestHostName function.

Published: 2009-08-03 Last update: 2026-06-16 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2009-2404 is rated Moderate Risk (63.5/100): CVSS Critical severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 4.15%). Mandatory action: Review affected assets and schedule remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2009-2404

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-06-15 21.02% 4.15% -16.87%
2 2025-03-30 20.45% 21.02% +0.58%
3 2025-03-29 20.45%

Full EPSS history (11 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2009-2404

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
9.3 2.0 HIGH
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C Click to expand
Access vector (AV:N)
Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:M)
Exploitation needs some favorable conditions, but not exceptional ones.
Authentication (AU:N)
No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:C)
Complete confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:C)
Complete integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:C)
Complete availability impact.
8.6 10.0 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2009-2404

OS Trackers for CVE-2009-2404

vendor priority summary link
debian low CVE-2009-2404 low priority: Debian including 1 source packages (nss), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2009-2404
gentoo high CVE-2009-2404: 1 GLSA(s) (201301-01), 14 atom(s) (dev-libs/nss, mail-client/mozilla-thunderbird, …); latest impact high. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2009-2404
redhat critical https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2009-2404
ubuntu medium CVE-2009-2404 medium priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (nss), 5 status rows across 5 suites (dapper, hardy, intrepid, jaunty, upstream): released 3, DNE 1, needs-triage 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2009-2404

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2009-2404

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
mozilla network_security_services 3.12.3 cpe:2.3:a:mozilla:network_security_services:3.12.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2009-2404

URL Tags
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2009-1185.html
http://secunia.com/advisories/36088 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/36102 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/36125 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/36139 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/36157 Vendor Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/36434
http://secunia.com/advisories/37098
http://secunia.com/advisories/39428
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-66-273910-1
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-77-1021030.1-1
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-77-1021699.1-1
http://www.blackhat.com/presentations/bh-usa-09/MARLINSPIKE/BHUSA09-Marlinspike-DefeatSSL-SLIDES.pdf
http://www.debian.org/security/2009/dsa-1874
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:197
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2009:216
http://www.mozilla.org/security/announce/2009/mfsa2009-43.html Patch Vendor Advisory
http://www.novell.com/linux/security/advisories/2009_48_firefox.html
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/cpuapr2010-099504.html
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2009-1207.html
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/35891 Patch
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-810-1
http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA10-103B.html US Government Resource
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/2085 Patch Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=512912
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A11174
https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A8658
https://usn.ubuntu.com/810-2/
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