What is CVE-2009-0590?

CVE-2009-0590 is a vulnerability in OpenSSL, classified under Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer. Published 2009-03-27.

Is CVE-2009-0590 known to be exploited?

2 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Buffer overflow in OpenSSL

CVE-2009-0590

The ASN1_STRING_print_ex function in OpenSSL before 0.9.8k allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (invalid memory access and application crash) via vectors that trigger printing of a (1) BMPString or (2) UniversalString with an invalid encoded length.

Vulnerability class: Buffer Overflow

Published 2009-03-27 · last modified 2026-06-16.

CVSS v2 metric

CVSS v2 base score 5.0 (Medium). Vector: AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P. This CVE predates CVSS v3 and has no v3 score from NVD.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.067 (93.7th percentile), scored 2026-09-29.

Low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, but still tracked. 94th percentile — 93.7% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.067 · newest: 0.067 · change: 0.000

Affected products

OpenSSL
Debian Linux — versions 4.0, 5.0

Weakness classification (CWE)

CWE-119 — Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

Public proof-of-concept exploits

References

marc.info/ (vendor-advisory, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0850 (Permissions Required, vdb-entry)
securitytracker.com/id (VDB Entry, Third Party Advisory, vdb-entry)
secunia.com/advisories/34896 (Third Party Advisory, third-party-advisory)
www.mandriva.com/security/advisories (vendor-advisory, Third Party Advisory)
www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/1175 (Permissions Required, vdb-entry)
secunia.com/advisories/42724 (Third Party Advisory, third-party-advisory)
www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/502429/100/0/threaded (mailing-list, VDB Entry, Third Party Advisory)
lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2011-07/msg00014.html (vendor-advisory, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
wiki.rpath.com/Advisories:rPSA-2009-0057 (Broken Link)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2009-0590?: CVE-2009-0590 is a vulnerability in OpenSSL, classified under Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer. Published 2009-03-27.
Is CVE-2009-0590 known to be exploited?: 2 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.