CVE-2009-3238
The get_random_int function in drivers/char/random.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.30 produces insufficiently random numbers, which…
- 5.5MediumCVSS base score
- 1.6%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 23% of all CVEs
- NoKnown exploitednot in CISA's KEV catalog
- NonePublic exploitsnone known yet
Description
The get_random_int function in drivers/char/random.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.30 produces insufficiently random numbers, which allows attackers to predict the return value, and possibly defeat protection mechanisms based on randomization, via vectors that leverage the function's tendency to "return the same value over and over again for long stretches of time."
Timeline
ID reserved
By mitre
Published
- 15 years later
· 15 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | Medium5.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 1.6% · top 23% of all CVEs (11 Nov 2026)
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 5.5.
Affected products
n/a
- affected n/a
References
References13
- https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-hpesbhf03836en_us (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- USN-852-1 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUx_transferred
- http://patchwork.kernel.org/patch/21766/ (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=519692 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.30 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- 37351 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAx_transferred
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=499785 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- SUSE-SA:2010:012 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEx_transferred
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:11168 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entrysignaturex_refsource_OVALx_transferred
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=8a0a9bd4db63bc45e3017bedeafbd88d0eb84d02 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- RHSA-2009:1438 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATx_transferred
- SUSE-SA:2009:054 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEx_transferred
- 37105 (opens in a new tab)third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2009-3221 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2009-3238)Record last updated .