CVE-2024-25590Network attack vector

DNS service interruption via unbounded RRset caching

Published Oct 3, 2024 · Updated Oct 3, 2024

Improper input validation in PowerDNS Recursor up to 4.9.8, 5.0.8, and 5.1.1 allows remote attackers to interrupt DNS service. The record cache accepts RRsets without a size limit, then repeatedly stores and assembles oversized sets, consuming resources until service is denied. The attacker needs no Recursor credentials but must control a published DNS zone that the resolver queries; no data compromise is reported.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.70%
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 Recursor up to 4.9.8, 5.0.8, and 5.1.1 allows remote attackers to interrupt DNS service. The record cache accepts RRsets without a size limit, then repeatedly stores and assembles oversized sets, consuming resources until service is denied. The attacker needs no Recursor credentials but must control a published DNS zone that the resolver queries; no data compromise is reported.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-25590
Published
Oct 3, 2024
Updated
Oct 3, 2024
Vendor
PowerDNS
Product
PowerDNS Recursor
Classifications
CWE-20, CAPEC-130, T1499.003
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 3, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 3, 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=0 <4.9.9
  2. Affected versionversion=5.0.0 <5.0.9
  3. Affected versionversion=5.1.0 <5.1.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

PowerDNS · PowerDNS Recursorversion=0 <4.9.9; version=5.0.0 <5.0.9; version=5.1.0 <5.1.2

Published CVSS scores

7.5Open-XchangeCVSS: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-20Improper Input Validation
CAPEC-130Excessive Allocation
T1499.003Endpoint Denial of Service: Application Exhaustion Flood

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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