CVE-2022-38177Network attack vector

Resolver crash via malformed ECDSA signatures

Published Sep 21, 2022 · Updated May 28, 2025

Memory leak in BIND 9 9.8.4 through 9.16.32 allows remote attackers to crash named via malformed ECDSA DNSSEC responses. The ECDSA DNSSEC verification path fails to release memory after rejecting a signature whose length differs from the algorithm's expected size. The attacker must spoof answers to a resolver and repeat the condition until incremental leaks exhaust memory and terminate the DNS service.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability2.66%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in BIND 9 9.8.4 through 9.16.32 allows remote attackers to crash named via malformed ECDSA DNSSEC responses. The ECDSA DNSSEC verification path fails to release memory after rejecting a signature whose length differs from the algorithm's expected size. The attacker must spoof answers to a resolver and repeat the condition until incremental leaks exhaust memory and terminate the DNS service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-38177
Published
Sep 21, 2022
Updated
May 28, 2025
Vendor
Internet Systems Consortium
Product
BIND 9
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 21, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 28, 2025Record 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=Open Source Branches 9.8 through 9.16 9.8.4 through versions before 9.16.33
  2. Affected versionversion=Supported Preview Branch 9.16-S 9.16.8-S1 through versions before 9.16.33-S1
  3. Affected versionversion=Supported Preview Branches 9.9-S through 9.11-S 9.9.4-S1 through versions up to and including 9.11.37-S1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Internet Systems Consortium · BIND 9version=Open Source Branches 9.8 through 9.16 9.8.4 through versions before 9.16.33; version=Supported Preview Branch 9.16-S 9.16.8-S1 through versions before 9.16.33-S1; version=Supported Preview Branches 9.9-S through 9.11-S 9.9.4-S1 through versions up to and including 9.11.37-S1

Published CVSS scores

7.5Internet Systems ConsortiumCVSS: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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