---
title: "CVE-2009-3294\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2009-3294?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2009-3294

Publication date 22 September 2009

Last updated 24 July 2024

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

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## Description

The popen API function in TSRM/tsrm\_win32.c in PHP before 5.2.11 and 5.3.x
before 5.3.1, when running on certain Windows operating systems, allows
context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a
crafted (1) "e" or (2) "er" string in the second argument (aka mode),
possibly related to the \_fdopen function in the Microsoft C runtime
library. NOTE: this might not cross privilege boundaries except in rare
cases in which the mode argument is accessible to an attacker outside of an
application that uses the popen function.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2009-3294?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| php5 | 9.04 jaunty | Not affected |
| 8.10 intrepid | Not affected |
| 8.04 LTS hardy | Not affected |
| 6.06 LTS dapper | Not affected |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2009-3294?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [mdeslaur](https://launchpad.net/~mdeslaur)

Windows-only

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| php5 | * Upstream:   <http://svn.php.net/viewvc?view=revision&revision=287779> |

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2009-3294)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-3294)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2009-3294)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2009-3294)

### Other references

* <http://www.php.net/ChangeLog-5.php#5.2.11>
* <http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/09/20/1>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-3294>