CVE-2015-5230Network attack vector

Unauthenticated DNS service crash via crafted queries

Published Jan 15, 2020 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

Improper input validation in PowerDNS Authoritative Server 3.4.0 through 3.4.5 allows remote attackers to crash the DNS service. The vendor identifies the DNS packet parsing/generation path but does not disclose the malformed field or failed validation operation. One or a few unauthenticated DNS queries can disable a worker thread or terminate the process; a supervisor can restart only process-level crashes.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability9.02%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in PowerDNS Authoritative Server 3.4.0 through 3.4.5 allows remote attackers to crash the DNS service. The vendor identifies the DNS packet parsing/generation path but does not disclose the malformed field or failed validation operation. One or a few unauthenticated DNS queries can disable a worker thread or terminate the process; a supervisor can restart only process-level crashes.

The record

CVE
CVE-2015-5230
Published
Jan 15, 2020
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
PowerDNS
Product
PowerDNS Authoritative Server
Classifications
CWE-20, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 15, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 6, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=3.4.x before 3.4.6

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

PowerDNS · PowerDNS Authoritative Serverversion=3.4.x before 3.4.6

Published CVSS scores

7.5UbuntuCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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